\ 


"^' 


By  Victor  Bridges 


A  Rogue  by  Compulsion 
The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 


Lady  from  Long  Acre 


i-j 


By 


Victor  Bridges 

Author  of  "A  Rogue  by  Compulsion,"  "The  Man  from  Nowhere," 
"Jetsam" 


Illustrated  by  Ray  Rohn 


G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons 

New  York  and  London 
n^be    fmicfterbochcr    ©rcsg 

1919  £p^O 


Copyright,    1919 

BY 

VICTOR   BRIDGES 


Ubc  Itnicherbocher  prese,  *lcw  Bor* 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTBR 

I. — "Tiger"    Bugg    Versus    "Lightning 
Lopez        .... 

II. — The  Morals  of  Molly 

III. — Two  Yellow-Faced  Foreigners 

IV.— Like  a  Fairy  Story     . 

V. — The  Leniency  of  Justice 

VI. — Pricing  an  Heirloom 

VII. — Bugg's  Strategy. 

VIII. — Affairs  in  Livadia 

IX. — A  Run-Away  Queen    . 

X. — The  Royal  Enterprise 

XL— The  Baited  Trap 

XII. — Molly  Becomes  an  Ally 

XIII. — A  Move  by  the  Enemy 

XIV. — A  Disturbance  in  Hampstead 

XV. — Impending  Events 

XVI. — An  Artistic  Forgery   . 


I 

i6 
30 
49 
69 
86 
106 
126 

143 
167 
191 
219 
235 
255 
273 
286 


iv  Contents 

CHAPTKR  ^A'.l 

XVII.— A  Decoy  Mhssacje      .          .  .     v* 

XVIII —Thk  RdYAi.  Pass          .          .  ,>2  , 

XIX— JiMMT*  Dalk        ....  344 

XX. — CoUNTKRPLOTTlNt.  ...       36<J 

XXI. — The  Solution     ...  372 

XXII.— GKTTiNd  Access  to  Isabel  383 

XXIII. — KiD:tAPPiN(.  Tiu:  Bkidk  394 

XXIV. — Making  Sure  of  Isabel     .  419 


PAua 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Just  in  the  Nick  of  Timk  he  Tuknkd  to  Meet 
THE  Driver  of  the  Car    .  Frontispiece 

T<iNY  Sent  the  Fellow  Staggekinl;  Back  ti)  the 

Edge  OF  THE  Pavement        ....        58 

'I  .\M   SO  Sorry  to   ma\i-:  Ki  rr    ^(»^    WAiTiK(i." 

Said  Tony  116 

"And  do  yoc  Mean  to  Say,"  he  Remarked, 
"that  yoc  really  Waste  this  on  Dramatic 
Critics?"  ......      150 

His  Gaze  finally  Came  to  Rest  on  the  Barrel 

ON  THE   Mauser  Pistol      ....      240 

"  I  WILL  Tell  you  the  Whole  Story  ik  you  Like, 

Aunt  Fanny"     ......     306 


The  Lady  from   Long   Acre 


CHAPTER  I 

"tiger"  BUGG  versus  "lightning"  LOPEZ 

Lady  Jocelyn  sighed  gently  and  put  down  her 
cup  on  the  tea-table. 

"I  suppose,  Tony,"  she  said,  "that  when  one  gets 
to  seventy-two,  one's  conscience  begins  to  decay  just 
as  one's  body  does.  I  seem  to  like  good  people  less 
and  immoral  and  useless  ones  more.  You  are  the 
only  member  of  the  family  it  gives  me  the  faintest 
pleasure  to  see  nowadays." 

Sir  Antony  Raymond  Fulk  Desmoleyn  Conway — 
Conway  Bart.,  more  commonly  known  as  Tony, 
nodded  his  head. 

"They  are  rather  a  stuffy  lot  the  others,  aren't 
they!"  he  answered  cheerfully.  "Who's  been  round 
to  see  you?" 

"Only  Laura  and  Henry  as  yet."  Lady  Jocelyn 
spoke  with  some  thankfulness. 

"Well,   that's   enough,"   observed   Tony.     "Ten 


2  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

minutes  with  either  of  them  always  makes  me  feel 
I  want  to  do  something  improper." 

"Allowing  for  age  and  infirmity,"  said  Lady 
Jocelyn,  "they  have  a  rather  similar  effect  on  me." 

Tony  laughed.  "So  you  have  heard  all  about  my 
misdeeds?" 

"I  would  hardly  go  as  far  as  that.  They  were 
only  here  for  two  hours.  You  may  smoke  you  know, 
Tony,  if  you  want  to." 

He  lighted  a  cigarette.  "Tell  me,  Aunt  Fanny," 
he  pleaded.  "There  is  no  pleasure  in  blackening 
the  family  name  unless  one  hears  what  the  family 
says  about  it." 

"The  family,"  remarked  Lady  Jocelyn,  "has  a 
good  deal  to  say  about  it.  They  consider  that  not 
only  are  you  wasting  your  own  life  in  the  most 
deplorable  manner,  but  that  your  methods  of  amus- 
ing yourself  are  calculated  to  bring  a  certain  amount 
of  discredit  upon  your  more  distinguished  relatives. 
Henry  attributes  it  chiefly  to  the  demoralizing  effect 
of  wealth;  Laura  thinks  that  you  were  born  with 
naturally  low  tastes." 

"They're  both  right,"  observed  Tony  placidly. 
"I  am  what  Guy  calls  'a  menace  to  my  order.' 
That's  a  jolly  way  for  one's  secretary  to  talk  to  one, 
isn't  it?" 

"It's  the  only  way  dear  Guy  can  talk,  and  after 
all  I  daresay  he  is  telling  the  truth." 

"I  am  sure  he  is,"  said  Tony.  "Guy  is  quite 
incapable  of  telling  anything  else. "  He  paused. 
"Was  Henry  referring  to  any  recent  atrocitj^?" 


"Tiger"  Buggvs.  "Lightning"  Lopez    3 

"I  think  your  choice  of  friends  is  what  distresses 
him  chiefly.  He  said  that  your  more  intimate 
acquaintances  appear  to  consist  of  prize-fighters  and 
chauffeurs. " 

Tony  laughed  good-humouredly.  "I  do  a  bit  of 
motor  racing,  you  know.  I  suppose  that's  what 
he  meant  by  chauffeurs.  As  for  prize-fighters — 
well,  somebody  must  have  been  telling  him  about 
Bugg." 

"About  what?"  inquired  Lady  Jocelyn  mildly. 

"Bugg,"  repeated  Tony.  "  *  Tiger'  Bugg.  He's  a 
youthful  protege  of  mine — a  boxer.  In  about  three 
years,  when  he's  grown  a  bit,  he'll  be  champion  of 
England." 

Lady  Jocelyn' s  good-humoured  face  wrinkled  up 
into  a  whimsical  smile. 

"Dear  Tony,"  she  said.  "Your  conversation  is 
always  so  stimulating.  Tell  me  some  more  about 
Mr.  Tiger  Bugg.  What  a  name!  It  sounds  like 
some  kind  of  American  butterfly. " 

"Oh,  he  spells  it  with  two  g's, "  said  Tony.  " It's 
a  very  good  name  in  the  East  End  of  London.  There 
have  been  Buggs  in  Whitechapel  for  generations.  " 

"So  I  have  always  understood,"  replied  Lady 
Jocelyn.  "How  did  you  come  across  this  particular 
branch  of  the  family?" 

"It  was  at  a  boxing  club  off  the  Stepney  High 
Street.  It's  a  blackguard  sort  of  place  run  by  a  Jew 
named  Isaacs.  He  gets  in  the  East  End  street  boys, 
and  they  fight  each  other  for  nothing  in  the  hope  that 
some  boxing  promoter  will  see  them  and  give  them  a 


4  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

chance.  Well,  one  night  when  I  was  there  they  put 
up  this  boy  Bugg  against  a  fellow  who  was  big 
enough  to  eat  him — a  chap  who  knew  something 
about  the  game,  too.  Bugg  was  hammered  nearly 
silly  in  the  first  round,  but  he  came  up  for  the  second 
and  popped  in  a  left  hook  bang  on  the  point  that  put 
the  big  chap  to  sleep  for  almost  ten  minutes.  It  was 
one  of  the  prettiest  things  I've  ever  seen." 

"It  sounds  delightful, "  said  Lady  Jocelyn.  "Go 
on,  Tony. " 

"I  was  so  pleased  with  his  pluck,"  pursued  the 
baronet  tranquilly,  "that  I  sent  for  him  after  the 
show  and  took  him  out  to  have  some  supper.  I 
thought  he  was  precious  hungry  from  the  way  he 
wolfed  his  food,  and  when  I  asked  him  I  found  he'd 
had  nothing  to  eat  all  day  except  a  bit  of  dry  bread 
for  breakfast.  In  addition  to  that  he  had  tramped 
about  ten  miles  looking  for  a  job.  Hardly  what 
one  would  call  a  good  preparation  for  fighting  a 
fellow  twice  your  size. " 

"It  seems  a  most  deserving  case, "  remarked  Lady 
Jocelyn  sympathetically. 

"That's  what  I  thought, "  said  Tony.  "I  had  him 
up  to  Hampstead  the  next  day  and  I  gave  him  a  good 
try  out  with  the  gloves.  I  saw  at  once  that  I'd  got 
hold  of  something  quite  out  of  the  common.  He 
didn't  know  much  about  the  science  of  the  game,  but 
he  was  just  a  born  boxer — one  of  those  boys  who  take 
to  fighting  as  naturally  as  they  do  to  breathing.  He 
seemed  a  decent  lad  too  in  his  way — a  bit  rough,  of 
course,  but  then  you  couldn't  expect  anything  else. 


"Tiger"  Buggvs.  "Lightning"  Lopez    5 

Anyhow  the  end  of  it  was  I  took  him  on,  and  he  has 
been  with  me  ever  since." 

"How  nice!"  said  Lady  Jocelyn.  "And  in 
what  capacity  does  he  figure  in  the  household 
returns?" 

Tony  indulged  in  a  smile.  "  I  always  call  him  my 
assistant  secretary,"  he  said,  "just  to  fetch  old  Guy. 
As  a  matter  of  fact  Bugg  is  a  most  useful  chap. 
There's  hardly  anything  he  can't  do.  When  he 
isn't  training  for  a  fight,  we  use  him  as  a  sort  of  maid- 
of-all-work, " 

"Oh,  he  still  fights  then?" 

"Rather,"  said  Tony.  "He  has  never  been 
beaten  yet.  Backing  Bugg  is  my  only  source  of 
income  apart  from  the  estate.  I  made  twelve 
hundred  pounds  out  of  him  last  year. " 

"Dear  me!"  exclaimed  Lady  Jocelyn.  "I  had  no 
idea  you  had  a  regular  profession  like  that,  Tony. 
What  sort  of  people  does  he  fight  with  ? " 

"We  are  open  to  meet  any  one  in  the  world  up  to 
ten  stone  seven.  In  fact  there  are  only  about  four 
who  really  matter  that  he  hasn't  met.  There  will  be 
one  less  after  to-morrow. " 

"What  happens  to-morrow?" 

"Bugg  is  going  to  fight  'Lightning  Lopez'  at  the 
Cosmopolitan." 

"What  beautiful  names  all  these  people  seem  to 
have,"  said  Lady  Jocelyn.  "Who  is  'Lightning 
Lopez'?" 

"He  calls  himself  the  champion  welter-weight  of 
Europe,"    replied    Tony    a    little    contemptuously. 


6  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

He's  half  an  American  and  half  a  Livadian.  That's 
why  Pedro  has  taken  him  up. " 

' '  Pedro  ? ' '  repeated  Lady  Jocelyn.  ' '  Do  you  mean 
King  Pedro?" 

Tony  nodded.  "Yes,  Lopez  is  being  backed  by 
royalty  or  rather  ex-royalty.  We  hope  to  have 
five  hundred  of  the  best  out  of  His  Majesty  by 
to-morrow  night." 

"Are  you  a  friend  of  Pedro's?"  asked  Lady 
Jocelyn. 

"Oh,  hardly  that,"  said  Tony.  "He  belongs  to 
the  Cosmo,  you  know,  and  I  often  meet  him  at 
races  and  first  nights." 

Lady  Jocelyn  paused  for  a  moment. 

"I  remember  him  very  well  as  a  little  boy  at 
Portriga  before  the  revolution,"  she  said.  "What 
has  he  grown  up  like?" 

"Well,"  observed  Tony,  thoughtfully  brushing 
some  cigarette  ash  from  his  sleeve,  "he's  short  and 
fat  and  dark  and  rather  spotty,  and  he  drinks  too 
much." 

Lady  Jocelyn  nodded.  "Ah!"  she  said,  "just  like 
his  poor  father.  Has  he  inherited  the  family  weak- 
ness for  female  society  ? ' ' 

"He's  a  bit  of  a  rip,"  said  Tony.  "Or  rather  he 
was.  Molly  Monk  of  the  Gaiety  has  got  hold  of 
him  now,  and  I  think  she  keeps  him  pretty  straight. 
She's  not  the  sort  to  stand  any  nonsense,  you 
know." 

"I  will  take  your  word  for  it,  Tony,"  said  Lady 
Jocelyn  gravely. 


"Tiger"  Buggvs.  "Lightning"  Lopez     7 

Tony  laughed.  "Well,  you  can,  Aunt  Fanny, "  he 
returned.  "  I've  known  Molly  since  she  was  a  little 
flapper.  She  is  the  granddaughter  of  old  Monk  who 
used  to  look  after  the  lodge  at  Holbeck. " 

Lady  Jocelyn  raised  her  eyebrows.  "Dear  me!" 
she  exclaimed.  "Is  that  so,  Tony!  Why  I  remem- 
ber the  old  man  perfectly.  She  must  be  a  clever 
girl  to  have  got  on  like  she  has.  What  a  pity  she 
couldn't  be  content  with  her  profession.  " 

"Oh,  Molly's  all  right,"  said  Tony  carelessly. 
"She's  straight  enough  as  girls  of  that  sort  go. 
You  can  be  quite  sure  she's  really  fond  of  Pedro  or 
she  wouldn't  have  anything  to  do  with  him. " 

"He  didn't  sound  exactly  lovable  from  your  de- 
scription of  him,"  remarked  Lady  Jocelyn. 

"Well,  perhaps  I  didn't  do  him  justice.  He  isn't 
such  a  bad  fellow  in  his  way,  you  know.  He  drinks 
too  much  and  he's  stupid  and  spoilt,  but  he's  quite 
good-natured  and  amiable  with  it.  I  have  no  doubt 
Molly  can  twist  him  round  her  finger;  and  I  suppose 
there's  a  certain  attraction  in  having  a  king  trotting 
around  after  you — even  if  he  is  out  of  a  job.  No 
doubt  it  annoys  the  other  girls. " 

"As  a  bachelor,  my  dear  boy,  "  said  Lady  Jocelyn, 
"you  have  no  right  to  be  so  well  acquainted  with 
feminine  weaknesses."  She  paused.  "You  know 
you  really  ought  to  get  married,  Tony,"  she  added, 
"if  only  to  circulate  your  income." 

Tony  laughed.  "You  have  hit  on  my  one  strong 
point  as  a  capitalist,"  he  said.  "You  ask  Guy, 
Aunt  Fanny!" 


8  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"But  you  can't  spend  forty  thousand  a  year  by 
yourself — surely  ? ' ' 

"Oh,  I  get  a  little  help  now  and  then.  I  don't 
know  that  I  really  want  it  though.  It's  wonderful 
what  one  can  do  with  practice  and  a  steam  yacht." 

"It's  not  nearly  as  wonderful  as  what  you  could 
do  with  a  wife,"  said  Lady  Jocelyn.  "Anyhow  you 
ought  to  get  married  if  only  to  please  me.  I  shall 
soon  be  too  old  for  travelling  about,  and  then  I  shall 
want  some  really  naughty  children  to  give  me  an 
interest  in  life.  I  shall  never  be  interested  in 
Henry's  twins:  they  are  such  dreadful  little  prigs. " 

Tony  got  up  from  his  chair  and  taking  the  old 
lady's  slender,  much  beringed  hand  raised  it  to  his 
lips. 

"If  you  feel  like  that,  Aunt  Fanny,"  he  said,  "I 
shall  certainly  have  to  think  about  it.  You  won't 
mind  who  she  is,  I  suppose?" 

"I  only  make  two  stipulations,"  said  Lady  Joce- 
lyn. "She  mustn't  be  a  German  and  she  mustn't 
wear  squeaky  boots." 

Tony  laughed.  "All  right.  Aunt  Fanny,"  he 
said.     "  I  can  promise  you  that  safely. " 

He  walked  to  the  window  and  glanced  down  into 
Chester  Square  where  a  huge  venomous-looking, 
two-seated  Peugot  was  filling  up  the  roadway. 

"I  must  toddle  away  now,"  he  observed.  "I 
want  to  run  up  to  the  Club,  and  see  that  everything's 
all  right  for  to-morrow  night,  and  then  I  must  get 
back  home  and  change.  I  have  promised  to  go  to 
this  fancy  dress  dance  at  the  Albert  Hall,  and  it  will 


"Tiger"  Bugg  vs.  "Lightning"  Lopez    9 

take  me  a  long  time  to  look  like  Charles  the 
Second." 

Lady  Jocelyn  leaned  forward  and  rang  the  bell. 
"Come  and  see  me  again  some  day,  Tony,"  she  said, 
"when  you  have  nothing  better  to  do.  I  shall  be 
home  till  the  end  of  July,  at  all  events." 

Tony  bent  down  and  kissed  her  affectionately. 
"  I  shall  often  be  dropping  in  if  I  may, "  he  said.  "  I 
am  always  in  scrapes  you  know,  Aunt  Fanny,  and 
you  are  about  the  only  person  I  can  look  to  for  a  little 
sympathy  and  encouragement." 

"If  my  moral  support  is  of  any  use,  Tony,"  she 
said,  "you  can  count  on  it  to  the  utmost." 

Outside  the  house  a  small  crowd  of  loafers  and 
errand  boys  had  gathered  round  the  car,  which  with 
its  enormous  strapped  bonnet  and  disk  wheels  looked 
singularly  out  of  place  in  this  trim,  respectable 
neighbourhood. 

"Wotyer  call  that,  guv'nor?"  inquired  one  of 
them.     "A  cycle  car?" 

"  It's  the  new  Baby  Peugot,"  replied  Tony  gravely. 

He  started  up  the  engine,  and  climbing  into  the 
seat,  disappeared  round  the  corner,  followed  by  the 
admiring  glances  of  his  audience. 

The  Cosmopolitan  Club,  the  headquarters  of 
British  pugilism,  is  situated  in  Covent  Garden.  It  is 
regarded  by  some  excellent  people  as  a  plague  spot 
that  will  eventually  be  wiped  away  by  the  rising  flood 
of  a  more  humanized  civilization,  but  this  opinion 
can  hardly  be  said  to  represent  the  views  of  the  porter 
and  carmen  who  frequent  the  vicinity.     To  them  the 


10  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Club  represents  all  that  is  best  and  brightest  in 
English  civilization,  and  amongst  its  numerous  and 
oddly  assorted  members  nobody  could  claim  to  be 
better  known  or  more  popular  than  Tony. 

As  the  big  car  picked  its  way  over  the  cobbles, 
twisting  neatly  in  and  out  between  unattended  carts 
and  piles  of  empty  baskets,  a  good  number  of  the 
men  who  were  lounging  about  greeted  the  owner  with 
a  friendly  salute.  When  he  reached  the  Club  and 
pulled  up,  several  of  them  stepped  forward  eagerly 
to  open  the  door. 

**'0w  abaht  ter-morrer,  sir,"  inquired  one  huge, 
hoarse- voiced  carter.  "Sife  to  shove  a  bit  on 
Tiger?" 

"  You  can  shove  your  horse  and  cart  on  him, "  said 
Tony,  "and  if  it  doesn't  come  off  I'll  buy  you  an- 
other." 

He  jumped  out  and  crossed  the  pavement,  followed 
by  an  approving  murmur  from  everyone  who  had 
heard  his  offer. 

The  carter  spat  decisively  into  the  gutter.  "'E's 
a  ruddy  nobleman,  'e  is,  "  he  observed,  looking  round 
the  group  with  a  bloodshot  eye.  '"Oo  says  'e 
ain't?" 

No  one  ventured  on  such  a  rash  assertion ;  indeed, 
putting  aside  the  carter's  discouraging  air,  everyone 
present  considered  Tony's  offer  to  be  the  very  acme 
of  aristocratic  behaviour. 

The  creator  of  this  favourable  impression  pushed 
open  the  swinging  door  of  the  Club  and,  accepting 
a  couple  of  letters  from  the  hotel  porter,  walked 


"Tiger"  Bugg  vs.  "Lightning"  Lopez  ii 

through  into  the  comfortably  furnished  bar  lounge  at 
the  back.  Its  two  inhabitants,  who  were  each  in  the 
act  of  consuming  a  cocktail,  glanced  round  at  his 
entrance.  One  w^as  "  Doggy  "  Donaldson,  the  mana- 
ger, a  burly,  genial-looking,  bullet-headed  individual 
with  close-cropped  grey  hair,  and  a  permanently 
unlit  cigar  jutting  up  rakishly  out  of  the  corner  of 
his  mouth. 

"Hello,  Tony,"  he  exclaimed.  "You're  just  in 
time  to  join  us.  You  know  the  Marquis  da  Freitas, 
of  course?" 

Tony  nodded  easily,  and  Donaldson's  companion, 
a  stout,  dark-complexioned,  well-dressed  man  of 
about  fifty  with  a  certain  air  of  distinction  about 
him,  returned  the  greeting  with  a  courteous  wave 
of  his  hand. 

"We  meet  as  enemies,  Sir  Antony,"  he  remarked 
smilingly. 

"Well,  I  just  dropped  in  for  a  second  to  see  that 
every  thing  was  all  right  about  to-morrow,"  said  Tony. 
"Our  boy  is  in  fine  form:  never  been  fitter.  I  hope 
you  have  been  equally  lucky?" 

The  Marquis  indulged  in  the  faintest  possible  shrug 
of  his  broad  shoulders.  "I  believe  so,"  he  said.  I 
am  not  a  great  authority  on  these  matters  myself,  but 
they  amuse  His  Majesty." 

"Ever^'thing's  O.  K., "  observed  the  manager  in  a 
satisfied  voice.  "We  sold  the  last  seat  this  morning, 
and  there  have  been  several  applications  since.  It's 
going  to  be  the  best  night  of  the  season.  You  will 
see  your  boy  turns  up  in  good  time,  won't  you?" 


12  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Tony  helped  himself  to  the  cocktail,  which  the 
barman,  without  asking  any  superfluous  questions, 
had  been  quietly  preparing  for  him. 

"  Right  you  are, "  he  said,  drinking  it  off.  "What's 
the  betting.  Doggy?" 

"Martin-Smith  told  me  this  morning  he'd  got  a 
level  hundred  on  Lopez." 

Tony  put  down  the  empty  glass.  "Ah  well,"  he 
said,  "he  can  afford  to  lose  it." 

There  was  a  short  pause. 

"You  seem- confident.  Sir  Antony,"  remarked  the 
Marquis  in  his  suave  voice.  "Perhaps  you  would 
like  to  back  your  opinion  a  little  further.  I  don't 
know  much  about  this  sort  of  thing,  as  I  said  just 
now,  but  I  am  prepared  to  support  our  man  if  only 
from  patriotic  motives." 

"Anything  you  care  to  suggest.  Marquis,"  said 
Tony  indifferently. 

"Shall  we  say  a  couple  of  hundred,  then?" 

Tony  nodded,  and  booked  the  bet  on  his  shirt 
cuff. 

"  I  must  be  off  now, "  he  said.  "  I  suppose  you  and 
the  King  will  be  at  the  Albert  Hall  to-night?" 

The  Marquis  shook  his  head.  "  I  do  not  think  His 
Majesty  intends  to  be  present.  As  for  me — "  he 
again  shrugged  his  shoulders — "I  grow  old  for  such 
frivolities. ' ' 

"Well,  till  to-morrow  then,"  said  Tony. 

He  passed  out  again  through  the  hall,  and  jumping 
into  the  car  steered  his  way  slowly  round  the  corner 
into  Long  Acre,  where  he  brancned  off  in  the  direction 


"Tiger"  Buggvs.  "Lightning"  Lopez  13 

of  Piccadilly.  He  was  just  passing  Garnett's,  the 
celebrated  theatrical  costumier,  when  the  door  of 
that  eminent  establishment  swung  open,  and  a  very 
pretty  and  smartly  dressed  girl  stepped  out  on  to 
the  pavement.  Directly  Tony  saw  her  he  checked 
the  car  and  turned  it  gently  in  towards  the  gutter. 

She  came  up  to  him  with  a  most  attractive  smile. 

"But  how  convenient,  Tony,"  she  exclaimed. 
"You  will  be  able  to  drive  me  home.  I  was  just 
going  to  waste  my  money  on  a  taxi. " 

He  leaned  across  and  opened  the  door.  "You  can 
give  me  the  bob  instead,  Molly,"  he  said.  "Jump 
in." 

She  stepped  up  alongside  of  him,  and  with  a  harsh 
croak  the  big  car  glided  forward  again  into  the 
thronging  bustle  of  Leicester  Square. 

"Funny  picking  you  up  like  this, "  he  said.  "I've 
just  been  talking  about  you. " 

"I'm  always  being  talked  about,"  replied  Molly 
serenely.  "I  hope  you  weren't  as  nasty  as  most 
people." 

"I  was  saying  that  you  were  the  only  girl  in 
London  with  that  particular  shade  of  red  hair." 
Tony  brought  out  this  shameless  untruth  with  the 
utmost  coolness. 

"It  is  rather  nice,  isn't  it?"  said  Molly.  "All 
the  girls  think  I  touch  it  up.  As  a  matter  of  fact 
it's  one  of  the  few  parts  of  me  I  don't, "  She  paused. 
"What  were  you  really  saying  about  me,  Tony?" 

"Oh,  quite  nice  things,"  he  replied.  "Can  you 
fancy  me  saying  anything  else?" 


14  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"No,"  she  said.  "I'll  admit  you're  an  amiable 
beast  as  men  go.  But  why  haven't  you  been  to  see 
me  lately?" 

Grasping  his  opportunity  Tony  darted  across  the 
bows  of  an  onrushing  motor-bus,  and  gained  the 
comparative  shelter  of  Regent  Street. 

" If  it  is  a  fact, "  he  observed,  "I  can  only  attribute 
it  to  idiocy." 

"You  know  it's  a  fact,"  said  Molly,  "and  it's 
hurt  me,  Tony.  I  wouldn't  mind  being  chucked  by 
any  one  else.  But  somehow  you're  different.  I  have 
always  looked  on  you  as  a  pal. " 

Tony  slipped  his  left  hand  off  the  wheel  for  a 
second  and  lightly  squeezed  hers. 

"So  I  am,  Molly,"  he  said.  "Why  on  earth 
should  I  have  changed?" 

"I  thought  you  might  be  sick  with  me  about — 
well,  about  Peter." 

"Good  Lord,  no,"  said  Tony.  "I  never  criticize 
my  friends'  hobbies.  If  I  haven't  routed  you  out 
lately,  it's  only  because  I've  been  really  busy. " 

Her  face  brightened.  "You're  a  nice  old  thing, 
Tony,"  she  said.  "Come  and  lunch  with  me  to- 
morrow if  you're  not  booked  up.  Just  us  two.  I 
really  do  want  to  have  a  talk  with  you,  badly. " 

"Right-o,"  said  Tony.  "You'll  be  able  to  give 
me  the  latest  stable  information  about  Lopez.  It's 
the  fight  to-morrow  night,  you  know. " 

Molly  nodded.  "Peter  thinks  he's  going  to  win 
all  right, "  she  said.     "  He's  cocksure  about  it. " 

"I  gathered  that,"  said  Tony.     "I  ran  into  da 


"Tiger"  Buggvs.  "Lightning"  Lopez  15 

Freitas  at  the  Club  just  now  and  he  bet  me  a  level 
two  hundred  we  were  in  for  a  whipping.  I  shouldn't 
think  he  was  a  gentleman  who  chucked  away  his 
money  out  of  patriotic  sentiment." 

Molty  made  as  near  an  approach  to  an  ugly  face  as 
nature  would  allow. 

"You  don't  like  him?"  inquired  Tony  artlessly. 

"He's  a  pig,"  said  Molly,  and  then  after  a  short 
pause  she  added  with  some  reluctance,  "but  he's  a 
clever  pig." 

"That,"  observed  Tony,  "only  aggravates  the 
offence." 

He  pulled  up  at  Basil  Mansions,  a  big  block  of 
luxurious  fiats  just  opposite  the  Langham  Hotel,  and 
a  magnificently  gilded  porter  hastened  forward  to 
open  the  door  of  the  car. 

"I'll  tell  you  about  him  to-morrow,"  said  Molly. 
"Don't  be  later  than  half -past  one.  I'm  always 
starving  by  then,  and  I  shan't  wait  for  you." 

"I  am  always  punctual  for  meals,"  said  Tony. 
"It's  the  only  virtue  that's  rewarded  on  the  spot. " 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  MORALS  OF  MOLLY 

It  was  exactly  eleven  o'clock  when  Tony  woke  up. 
He  looked  at  his  watch,  yawned,  stretched  himself, 
ran  his  fingers  through  his  hair,  and  then  reaching  out 
his  hand  pressed  the  electric  bell  beside  his  bed. 
After  a  short  pause  it  was  answered  by  a  middle- 
aged,  clean-shaven  man,  with  a  face  like  a  tired 
sphinx,  who  entered  the  room  carrying  a  cup  of  tea 
upon  a  tray.     Tony  sat  up  and  blinked  at  him. 

"Good-morning,  Spalding,"  he  observed. 

"Good-morning,  Sir  Antony,"  returned  the  man; 
"I  trust  that  you  slept  well,  sir?" 

"Very  well,  thank  you,"  replied  Tony.  "What 
time  did  I  get  home?" 

"  I  fancy  it  was  a  little  after  four,  sir. " 

Tony  took  a  long  drink  out  of  the  tea-cup,  and 
then  put  it  down  again.  "I  am  curiously  thirsty 
this  morning,  Spalding,"  he  said.  "Was  I  quite 
sober  when  I  came  back?" 

The  man  hesitated.  "I  should  describe  you  as 
being  so,  sir,"  he  replied. 

"Thank  you,  Spalding,"  said  Tony  gratefully. 

I6 


The  Morals  of  Molly  17 

Crossing  the  room  the  valet  drew  up  the  blinds, 
and  admitted  a  cheerful  stream  of  sunshine. 

"Mr.  OHver  left  a  message,  sir,  to  say  that  he 
would  not  be  back  until  the  afternoon.  He  has 
gone  out  on  business  and  is  lunching  with  Mr. 
Henry  Conway." 

"Where's  Bugg?"  inquired  Tony. 

"At  the  present  moment,  sir,  I  believe  he  is  in  the 
gymnasium.  He  informed  me  that  he  was  about  to 
loosen  his  muscles  with  a  little  shadow  boxing." 

"Is  he  all  right?" 

"He  appears  to  be  in  the  most  robust  health, 
sir." 

A  look  of  relief  passed  across  Tony's  face.  "You 
have  taken  a  weight  off  my  mind,  Spalding, "  he  said. 
"  I  dreamed  that  he  had  broken  his  neck. " 

The  valet  shook  his  head  reassuringly. 

"  I  observed  no  sign  of  it,  sir,  when  I  passed  him  in 
the  hall." 

"In  that  case, "  said  Tony,  " I  think  I  shall  get  up. 
You  can  fill  the  bath,  Spalding,  and  you  can  tell  the 
cook  I  shan't  want  any  breakfast. " 

The  impassive  servant  bowed  and  withdrew  from 
the  room,  and  after  finishing  his  tea,  Tony  got 
luxuriously  out  of  bed,  and  proceeded  to  drape  him- 
self in  a  blue  silk  dressing-gown  with  gold  dragons 
embroidered  round  the  hem.  It  was  a  handsome 
garment  originally  intended  for  the  President  of 
China,  but  that  gentleman  had  unexpectedly  rejected 
it  on  the  ground  that  it  was  too  ornate  for  the  elected 
head  of  a  democratic  community.     At  least  that  was 


i8  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

how  the  Bond  Street  shopman  who  had  sold  it  to 
Tony  had  accounted  for  its  excessive  price. 

Lighting  a  cigarette,  Tony  sauntered  across  to  the 
bathroom,  where  a  shave,  a  cold  tub,  and  a  few 
minutes  of  Muller's  exercises  were  sufficient  to 
remove  the  slight  trace  of  lassitude  induced  by  his 
impersonation  of  Charles  the  Second.  Then,  still 
clad  in  his  dressing-gown,  he  strolled  down  the  main 
staircase,  and  opening  the  front  door  passed  out  into 
the  garden. 

The  house  was  one  of  those  two  or  three  jolly  old- 
fashioned  survivals  which  still  stand  in  their  own 
grounds  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Jack  Straw's  Castle. 
Tony  had  bought  up  the  freehold  several  years 
previously,  the  quaint  old  Georgian  residence  in  its 
delightful  surroundings  appealing  to  him  far  more 
than  his  own  gloomy  family  mansion  in  Belgrave 
Square.  As  he  himself  was  fond  of  explaining,  it 
gave  one  all  the  charm  of  living  in  the  country  with- 
out any  of  its  temptations  to  virtue. 

A  few  yards'  walk  along  a  gravel  path,  hedged  in 
on  each  side  by  thick  laurel  bushes,  brought  him  to 
the  gymnasium.  The  door  was  slightly  open,  and 
from  the  quick  patter  and  shuffle  of  footsteps  inside, 
it  sounded  as  if  a  number  of  ballet  girls  were  prac- 
tising a  novel  and  rather  complicated  form  of  step 
dance. 

The  spectacle  that  actually  met  Tony's  eyes  when 
he  entered,  however,  was  of  a  less  seductive  nature. 
Clad  only  in  a  pair  of  flannel  trousers,  a  young  man 
was  spinning  and  darting  about  the  room  in  the  most 


The  Morals  of  Molly  19 

extraordinary  fashion,  indulging  at  the  same  time  in 
lightning-like  movements  with  his  head  and  arms. 
To  the  uninitiated  observer  he  would  have  appeared 
to  be  either  qualifying  for  a  lunatic  asylum  or  else 
attempting  the  difficult  feat  of  catching  flies  on  the 
wing.  As  a  matter  of  fact  either  assumption  would 
have  been  equally  inaccurate.  He  was  engaged  in 
what  is  known  amongst  pugilists  as  "  shadow  boxing  " 
which  consists  of  conducting  an  animated  contest 
with  a  vicious  but  imaginary  opponent. 

On  seeing  Tony  the  young  man  in  question  came 
to  an  abrupt  halt  in  the  middle  of  the  room,  and 
raised  his  forefinger  to  his  close-cropped  forehead. 

"Mornin',  Sir  Ant'ny,"  he  observed. 

Notwithstanding  his  exertions  he  spoke  without 
the  least  trace  of  breathlessness,  and  there  was 
no  sign  of  perspiration  upon  his  clean  white  skin. 
He  looked  what  he  was — a  splendidly  built  lad  of 
about  nineteen,  trained  to  the  last  pitch  of  physical 
fitness. 

Tony  glanced  him  over  with  an  approving  eye. 
"Good-morning,  Bugg,"  he  answered.  "I  am  glad 
to  see  you  looking  so  well.'  I  dreamed  you  had 
broken  your  neck. " 

The  lad  grinned  cheerfully.  "Not  me,  sir.  Never 
felt  better  in  me  Hfe.     Must  'a  bin  the  other  bloke. " 

"I  hope  not,"  said  Tony  anxiously.  "I  backed 
you  for  another  two-fifty  yesterday,  and  I  can't  very 
well  claim  the  money  unless  the  fight  comes  off.  By 
the  way,  a  hundred  of  that  goes  on  to  the  purse  if  you 
do  the  trick  all  right." 


20  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

The  young  prize-fighter  looked  a  trifle  embarrassed. 
''There  ain't  no  call  for  that,  sir — thankin'  ye  kindly 
all  the  saime,  sir.  I'd  knock  out  'alf  a  dozen  blokes 
like  Lopez  for  a  purse  o'  three  'undred. " 

"Your  unmercenary  nature  is  one  of  your  chief 
charms,  Bugg, "  said  Tony.  "All  the  same  you 
mustn't  carry  it  to  extremes.  How  much  money 
have  you  got  in  the  bank  now?" 

Bugg  scratched  his  ear.  "The  last  time  I  goes  in, 
sir,  the  old  geezer  with  the  whiskers  says  somethin* 
abaht  a  matter  of  eleven  'undred  quid." 

"Well,  by  to-morrow  you  ought  to  have  fifteen 
hundred.  In  other  words,  Bugg,  you  will  be  a 
capitalist — one  of  the  idle  rich.  That  money,  pro- 
perly invested,  will  bring  you  in  thirty  shillings  a 
week.  If  you  want  to  set  up  as  an  independent 
gentleman  now's  the  time  to  begin." 

A  sudden  look  of  surprised  dismay  spread  itself 
across  Bugg's  square- jawed  face. 

"Meanin'  I  got  the  chuck,  sir?"  he  inquired 
dully. 

Tony  laughed.  "Of  course  not, "  he  said.  " Don't 
be  an  ass,  Bugg.  I  was  only  pointing  out  to  you  that 
if  you  like  to  set  up  on  your  own  you  can  afford  to  do 
it.  I'll  go  on  backing  you  as  long  as  you  want  me  to, 
but  you  needn't  feel  bound  to  stop  on  here  if  you'd 
rather  clear  out.  It's  not  much  of  a  job  for  a  budding 
champion  of  England  with  fifteen  hundred  pounds  in 
the  bank." 

Bugg  gave  an  audible  sigh  of  relief. 

"I  thought  you  was  'andin'  me  the  bird,  sir,"  he 


The  Morals  of  Molly  21 

observed.  "Give  me  a  proper  turn  it  did,  jest  for 
the  minit." 

"Then  you  don't  want  to  go?" 

Bugg  laughed,  almost  contemptuously. 

"  Where'd  I  go  to,  sir?"  he  demanded.  "  'Ow  long 
would  that  fifteen  'undred  last  if  I  was  knockin' 
arahnd  on  me  own  with  every  flash  cove  in  London 
'avin*  a  cut  at  it?  'Sides,  that,  sir,  I  don't  want 
nothin'  different.  I  wouldn't  change  the  job  I  got, 
not  to  be  King  of  England.  If  it  weren't  for  you  I'd 
be  'awkin'  welks  now,  or  fightin'  in  a  booth,  an' 
Tiger  Bugg  ain't  the  sort  to  forget  a  thing  like  that. 
Wen  you  don't  want  me  no  more,  sir,  jest  you  tip 
me  the  orfice  straight  and  proper  and  I'll  'op  it, 
but  so  long  as  there's  any  bloomin'  thing  I  can  do 
for  you,  sir,  well,  'ere  I  am  and  'ere  I  means  to 
stop." 

It  was  the  longest  speech  that  Tiger  Bugg  had 
ever  indulged  in,  and  certainly  the  most  eloquent. 
Tony,  who  was  genuinely  touched  by  the  obvious 
sincerity  with  which  it  was  uttered,  stepped  forward 
and  patted  the  lad  on  his  shoulder. 

"That's  all  right.  Tiger,"  he  said.  "There  will 
always  be  a  job  for  you  here  if  it's  only  to  annoy  my 
relations."  He  paused  and  lighted  himself  another 
cigarette.  "  Give  us  a  bit  of  your  best  to-night, "  he 
added.  "I  should  hke  to  make  da  Freitas  look  silly, 
and  if  you  win  easily,  Donaldson  has  practically 
promised  me  a  match  for  the  Lonsdale  Belt. " 

Bugg's  eyes  gleamed,  and  his  hands  automatically 
clenched  themselves. 


22  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"I'll  slip  one  over  the  fust  chance  I  get,  sir,"  he 
observed  earnestly.  "I  don't  think  I'll  'ave  to  wait 
long  either." 

Tony  nodded,  and  gathering  up  his  dressing-gown, 
turned  towards  the  door. 

"Well,  be  ready  by  eight  o'clock,"  he  said,  "and 
we'll  go  down  together  in  the  car." 

Leaving  the  gymnasium  he  strolled  on  up  the  path 
till  it  curved  round  the  corner  and  opened  out  into 
an  asphalt  yard,  where  a  man  in  blue  overalls  was 
attending  to  the  toilet  of  the  big  Peugot.  He  was 
a  tall,  red-haired  individual  with  an  expression  of 
incurable  melancholy  on  his  face. 

"Good-morning,  Jennings,"  said  Tony.  "It's 
a  nice  morning,  isn't  it?" 

The  chauffeur  cast  a  resentful  glance  at  the 
unclouded  blue  overhead. 

"It's  all  right  at  present,  sir,"  he  admitted  grudg- 
ingly, "but  these  here  extra  fine  mornings  have  a 
way  of  turning  off  sudden." 

Tony  sauntered  up  to  the  car,  and  lifting  the 
bonnet  looked  down  into  the  gleaming  network  of 
copper  and  brass  which  bore  eloquent  testimony  to 
the  care  and  energy  expended  on  it. 

"I  didn't  think  she  was  pulling  quite  at  her  best 
yesterday,"  he  said.  "You  might  have  a  run 
through  and  tune  her  up  a  bit,  when  you've  got 
time." 

The  chauffeur  nodded.  "Once  these  here  big 
racin'  engines  begin  to  give  trouble,  sir,  "  he  remarked 
with  a  sort  of  gloomy  rehsh,  "they  ain't  never  the 


The  Morals  of  Molly  23 

same  again — not  in  a  manner  o'  speaking.     Least, 
that's  how  it  seems  to  me. " 

"That's  how  it  would  seem  to  you,  Jennings," 
said  Tony  kindly.     "Is  the  Suiza  all  right?" 

"She'll  run,  sir." 

"Well,  have  her  ready  about  one  o'clock,  and  I 
shall  want  you  and  the  Rolls-Royce  at  eight  to-night, 
to  take  us  down  to  the  Club."  He  paused.  "I 
suppose  you  have  backed  Bugg?"  he  added. 
•  Jennings  shook  his  head.  "Not  me,  sir.  I  think 
he's  flying  too  high,  sir.  From  all  they  tell  me  this 
here  Lopez  is  a  terror.  I'll  be  sorry  to  see  Bugg 
knocked  out,  but  there  it  is;  it  comes  to  all  of  'em  in 
time." 

"I  like  talking  to  you  after  breakfast,  Jennings," 
said  Tony.     "You  cheer  one  up  for  the  entire  day. " 

Jennings  received  the  compliment  with  an  utterly 
unmoved  expression.  "I  don't  take  much  stock  in 
bein'  cheerful  meself,  sir,"  he  observed,  "not  unless 
there's  something  to  be  cheerful  about." 

He  stepped  forward  and  resumed  his  work  on  the 
car,  and  after  watching  him  for  a  moment  or  two  with 
a  pleasant  languid  interest  Tony  turned  round  and 
sauntered  back  to  the  house. 

He  finished  his  toilet  in  a  leisurely  fashion,  and 
then  spent  an  agreeable  half-hour  over  the  Sports- 
man, which  was  the  only  morning  paper  that  he  took 
in.  Current  affairs  of  a  more  general  nature  did  not 
interest  him  much,  though  in  times  of  national  or 
political  crisis  it  was  his  habit  to  borrow  the  Daily 
Mail  from  Spalding. 


24  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Soon  after  one,  Jennings  brought  the  Suiza  round 
to  the  front  door,  and  a  quarter  of  an  hour  later  Tony- 
turned  in  through  the  gateway  of  Basil  Mansions  and 
drew  up  alongside  the  rockery  and  fountain  with 
which  a  romantic  landlord  had  enriched  the  centre 
of  the  courtyard. 

Leaving  the  car  there,  he  strolled  across  to  Molly's 
fiat  and  rang  the  bell.  It  was  answered  almost  at 
once  by  a  neatly  dressed  French  maid,  who  con- 
ducted him  into  a  bright  and  daintily  furnished 
room  where  Molly  was  sitting  at  the  piano  practising 
a  new  song.  She  jumped  up  gaily  directly  she  saw 
him. 

"Oh,  how  nice  , of  you,  Tony,"  she  exclaimed. 
"You  are  ten  minutes  early  and  I'm  fearfully  hungry. 
Lunch  as  soon  as  it's  ready,  Claudine. " 

She  gave  Tony  her  hand  which  he  raised  gallantly 
to  his  lips. 

"You  are  looking  very  beautiful  this  morning, 
Molly,"  he  said.  "You  remind  me  of  one  of  those 
things  that  come  out  of  ponds." 

"What  do  you  mean?"  asked  Molly.     "Frogs?" 

"  No, "  said  Tony,  "  not  frogs.  Those  sort  of  jolly 
wet  girls  with  nothing  on ;  what  do  you  call  them — 
naiads,  isn't  it?" 

Molly  burst  into  a  ripple  of  laughter.  "I  don't 
think  that's  much  of  a  compliment  to  my  frock, 
Tony, "  she  said.  "  It  was  specially  designed  for  me 
by  Jay's  too!     Don't  you  like  it?" 

Tony  stepped  back  and  inspected  her  critically. 

"It's  wonderful,"  he    said.     "I    should    imagine 


The  Morals  of  Molly  25 

Mr.  Jay  was  now  prostrate  with  nervous  ex- 
haustion. " 

"Oh,  well,"  repHed  Molly  comfortingly,  "he'll 
have  heaps  of  time  to  recover  before  he's  paid. " 

The  clear  note  of  a  silver  gong  sounded  from  the 
passage  and  she  thrust  her  arm  through  Tony's. 

"Come  along,"  she  said,  "there  are  roast  quails 
and  it  would  be  awful  if  they  got  cold,  wouldn't  it?" 

Tony  gave  a  slight  shudder.  "There  are  some 
tragedies,"  he  said,  "that  one  hardly  likes  to  think 
about." 

All  through  lunch,  which  was  daintily  served  in 
Molly's  pretty,  sunny  little  dining-room,  they 
chatted  away  in  the  easy  cheerful  fashion  of  two 
people  who  have  no  illusions  about  each  other  and 
are  yet  the  firmest  of  friends.  The  lunch  itself  was 
excellent,  and  Claudine  waited  on  them  with  a  grace- 
ful skill  that  lent  an  additional  harmony  to  its 
progress. 

"I  think  I  am  in  love  with  your  new  maid," 
observed  Tony  thoughtfully,  when  she  at  length  left 
them  to  their  coffee  and  cigarettes. 

"I  am  glad  you  approve  of  her,"  said  Molly,  "but 
if  you  haven't  seen  her  before  it  only  shows  how  dis- 
gustingly you  must  have  treated  me.  She  has  been 
here  since  Christmas." 

"I  like  her  face,"  pursued  Tony.  "It's  so  pure. 
She  looks  as  if  she  had  been  turned  out  of  a  convent 
for  being  too  good. " 

"She  isn't  good,"  said  Molly.  "Don't  you  think 
it." 


26  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"That  only  makes  her  all  the  more  wonderful," 
said  Tony.  "To  look  good  and  to  be  wicked  is  the 
ideal  combination.  You  get  the  benefits  of  both 
without  any  of  their  drawbacks. " 

"In  that  case,"  observed  Molly,  "I  must  be 
dead  out  of  luck.  With  my  red  hair  and  red  lips  I 
look  desperately  wicked,  while  as  a  matter  of  fact 
I'm  quite  uninterestingly  good — by  instinct."  She 
paused.  "I  want  to  talk  to  you  about  my  morals, 
Tony.  That  has  been  one  of  the  chief  reasons  why 
I  asked  you  to  lunch. " 

Tony  poured  out  a  glass  of  liqueur  brandy.  "The 
morals  of  Molly,"  he  remarked  contentedly.  "I 
can't  imagine  a  more  perfect  subject  for  an  after- 
lunch  discussion." 

Molly  lit  herself  a  cigarette  and  passed  him  across 
the  little  silver  box.  "It's  not  so  much  a  discussion 
as  an  explanation,"  she  said.  "I  want  to  explain 
Peter."  She  sat  back  in  her  chair.  "You  see, 
Tony,  you're  the  only  person  in  the  world  whose 
opinion  I  care  a  hang  for.  If  it  hadn't  been  for  you 
I  don't  know  what  would  have  happened  to  me 
after  I  ran  away  from  home.  You  helped  me  to  get 
on  the  stage,  and  I  don't  want  you  to  think  I've 
turned  out  an  absolute  rotter.  Oh,  I  know  people 
have  always  said  horrid  things  about  me,  but  then 
they  do  that  about  any  girl  in  musical  comedy.  I 
believe  I'm  supposed  to  have  lived  with  a  Rajah  and 
had  a  black  baby,  and  Lord  knows  what  else,  but  as 
a  matter  of  fact  it's  all  lies  and  invention.  People 
talk  like  that  just  to  appear  more  in  the  swim  than 


The  Morals  of  Molly  27 

somebody  else.  Of  course  I  don't  mean  to  say  I 
haven't  had  lots  of  kind  offers  of  that  sort,  but  until 
Peter  came  along  I'd  said  'no'  to  all  of  them. " 

"What  made  you  pitch  on  Peter?"  asked  Tony. 

'•'I  don't  know,"  said  Molly  frankly.  "I  think  I 
was  sorry  for  him  to  start  with.  He's  so  stupid  you 
know — any  one  can  take  him  in,  and  that  little  cat 
Marie  d'Estelle  was  getting  thousands  out  of  him 
and  carrying  on  all  the  time  with  half  a  dozen  other 
men.  So  I  thought  I'd  just  take  him  away  if  only  to 
teach  her  common  decency. " 

"If  rumour  is  correct,"  observed  Tony,  "the 
lesson  was  not  entirely  successful. " 

Molly  laughed.  "Well,  that  was  how  the  thing 
started  anyway,"  she  said.  "Peter  got  awfully 
keen  on  me,  and  after  I  had  seen  a  little  bit  of  him 
and  snubbed  him  rather  badly  once  or  twice  for  being 
toe  affectionate,  I  really  began  to  get  quite  fond  of 
him.  You  see  if  he  wasn't  a  king  he'd  be  a  jolly  good 
sort.  There's  nothing  really  the  matter  with  him 
except  that  he's  been  horribly  spoilt.  He  isn't  a  bit 
vicious  naturally;  he  only  thought  he  was  until  he 
met  me.  He  is  weak  and  stupid,  of  course,  but  then 
I  like  a  man  not  to  be  too  clever  if  I  am  going  to  have 
much  to  do  with  him.  Stupid  men  stick  to  you,  and 
you  can  make  them  do  just  what  you  want.  You 
know  Peter  consults  me  about  practically  every- 
thing. " 

"And  what  does  da  Freitas  think  of  the  situation?" 
asked  Tony  mildly. 

"Oh,    da   Freitas!"    Molly's   expression    was   an 


28  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

answer  in  itself.  "He  hates  me,  Tony;  he  can't 
stand  any  one  having  an  influence  over  Peter  except, 
himself.  He  didn't  mind  d'Estelle  and  people  like 
that,  in  spite  of  the  money  they  cost,  but  he  would 
give  anything  to  get  rid  of  me.  He  likes  Peter  to 
be  weak  and  dissipated  and  not  to  bother  about 
things,  because  then  he  has  all  the  power  in  his  own 
hands." 

"But  how  is  all  this  going  to  end,  Molly?"  asked 
Tony.  "Suppose  there's  another  revolution  in  Liva- 
dia,  and  Peter,  as  you  call  him,  has  to  go  back  to  be 
King.  It's  quite  on  the  cards  according  to  what  one 
hears. ' ' 

"Oh,  I  know,"  said  Molly,  shrugging  her  shoul- 
ders, "but  what's  the  good  of  worrying?  If  they 
knew  Peter  as  well  as  I  do  they  wouldn't  be  so  stupid. 
He'd  be  no  earthly  use  as  a  king,  by  himself,  and 
he'd  look  too  absolutely  silly  for  words  with  a  crown 
on  his  head.  As  far  as  his  own  private  tastes  go, 
he's  a  lot  happier  at  Richmond.  He  quite  sees  it 
too,  you  know,  when  I  point  it  out  to  him,  but  he 
says  he  wouldn't  be  able  to  help  himself  if  there 
really  was  a  revolution.  " 

■'No,"  said  Tony.  "I  imagine  da  Freitas  would 
see  to  that.  It  will  be  a  precious  cold  day  when  he 
gets  left.  He  hasn't  schemed  and  plotted  and  kept 
in  with  Pedro  all  this  time  in  order  to  let  the  chance 
slip  when  it  comes  along.  If  he  isn't  back  there  one 
day  in  his  old  job  of  Prime  Minister,  it  won't  be  the 
fault  of  the  Marquis  Fernando. " 

Molly  looked  pensively  into  the  fire,      "He  only 


The  Morals  of  Molly  29 

makes  one  mistake, "  she  said.  "He's  a  little  too  apt 
to  think  other  people  are  more  stupid  than  they  are. 
I  suppose  it  comes  from  associating  so  much  with 
poor  old  Peter." 


CHAPTER  III 

TWO    YELLOW-FACED    FOREIGNERS 

Very  carefully  Tony  sprinkled  a  little  Bengal 
pepper  over  the  perfectly  grilled  sole  which  Spalding 
had  set  down  in  front  of  him.  Then  he  returned 
the  bottle  to  the  cruet-stand  and  looked  across  the 
table  at  his  cousin. 

"You  really  ought  to  come  to-night,  Guy,"  he 
said.     "It  will  be  a  beautiful  fight  while  it  lasts." 

Guy  Oliver  shook  his  head.  He  was  a  tall,  rather 
gaunt  young  man  with  a  pleasant  but  too  serious 
expression.  "My  dear  Tony,"  he  replied,  "my 
tastes  may  be  peculiar,  but  as  I  have  told  you  before, 
it  really  gives  me  no  pleasure  to  watch  two  lads 
striking  each  other  violently  about  the  face  and 
body." 

"You  were  always  hard  to  please,"  complained 
Tony  sadly.  "Fighting  is  one  of  the  few  natural 
and  healthy  occupations  left  to  humanity." 

Guy  adjusted  his  glasses.  "I  am  not  criticizing 
fighting  in  its  proper  place,"  he  said.  "I  think 
there  are  times  when  it  may  be  necessary  and  even 
enjoyable.  All  I  do  object  to  is  regarding  it  as  a 
pastime.     There  are  some  things  in  life  that  we 

30 


Two  Yellow-Faced  Foreigners        31 

are  not  meant  to  make  a  popular  spectacle  out  of. 
What  would  you  say  if  someone  suggested  paying 
people  to  make  love  to  each  other  on  public  plat- 
forms?" 

"I  should  say  it  would  be  most  exciting,"  said 
Tony.  "Especially  the  heavy-weight  champion- 
ship. "  He  poured  himself  out  half  a  glass  of  sherry 
and  held  it  up  to  the  light.  "Talking  of  heavy- 
weights," he  added,  "how  did  you  find  our  dear 
Cousin  Henry?" 

"  Henry  was  very  well,  "  said  Guy.  "He  is  coming 
to  see  you. " 

Tony  put  down  his  glass  and  surveyed  his  cousin 
reproachfully.  "And  you  call  yourself  a  secretary 
and  a  friend?"  he  remarked. 

' '  I  think  it  is  very  good  for  you  to  entertain  Cousin 
Henry  occasionally,"  returned  Guy.  "He  is  an 
excellent  antidote  to  the  Cosmopolitan  Club  and 
Brooklands."  He  paused.  "Besides,  he  has  a 
suggestion  to  make  with  which  I  am  thoroughly  in 
sympathy. " 

A  depressed  expression  flitted  across  Tony's  face. 
"I  am  sure  it  has  something  to  do  with  my  duty,"  he 
said. 

Guy  nodded.  ' '  I  wish  you  would  try  and  look  on 
it  in  that  light.  Henry  has  put  himself  to  a  lot  of 
trouble  about  it,  and  he  will  be  very  hurt  if  you  don't 
take  it  seriously. " 

"My  dear  Guy!"  said  Tony.  "A  proposal  of 
Henry's  with  which  you  are  in  sympathy  couldn't 
possibly  be  taken  any  other  way.     What  is  it  ? " 


32         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

**  He  has  set  his  heart  on  your  going  into  Parliament 
as  you  know.  Well,  he  told  me  that  last  week  he 
had  spoken  about  you  to  the  Chief  Whip,  and  that 
they  are  arranging  for  you  to  stand  as  Government 
candidate  for  Balham  North  at  the  next  general 
election." 

There  was  a  long  pause. 

"For  where? "  inquired  Tony  faintly. 

"For  Balham  North.  It's  a  large  constituency  in 
South  London  close  to  Upper  Tooting." 

"It  would  be,"  said  Tony.  "And  may  I  ask 
what  I  have  done  to  deserve  this  horrible  fate?" 

"That's  just  it,"  said  Guy.  "You  haven't  done 
anything.  Henry  feels — indeed  we  all  feel  that  as 
head  of  the  family  it  is  quite  time  you  made  a  start.  " 

"You  don't  understand,"  said  Tony  with  some 
dignity.  "I  am  sowing  my  wild  oats.  It  is  what 
every  wealthy  young  baronet  is  expected  to  do." 

"Leaving  out  the  war,  "  retorted  Guy,  "you  have 
been  sowing  them  for  exactly  six  years  and  nine 
months." 

Tony  smiled  contentedly.  "I  always  think," 
he  observed,  "that  if  a  thing  is  worth  doing  at  all,  it 
is  worth  doing  well.  " 

There  was  another  pause,  while  Guy,  crumbling  a 
bit  of  bread  between  his  fingers,  regarded  his  cousin 
with  a  thoughtful  scrutiny. 

"As  far  as  I  can  see,  Tony,"  he  said,  "there  is 
only  one  thing  that's  the  least  likely  to  do  you  any 
good.  You  want  a  complete  change  in  your  life — 
something  that  will  wake  you  up  to  a  sense  of 


Two  Yellow-Faced  Foreigners       33 

duty  and  responsibility.  I  think  you  ought  to  get 
married." 

Tony,  who  was  helping  himself  to  a  glass  of  cham- 
pagne, paused  abruptly  in  the  middle  of  that  engag- 
ing occupation. 

' '  How  remarkable ! "  he  exclaimed.  '  *  Only  yester- 
day Aunt  Fanny  made  exactly  the  same  suggestion. 
It  must  be  something  in  the  spring  air. " 

"I  don't  always  agree  with  Aunt  Fanny,"  said 
Gu}/,  "but  I  think  that  for  once  in  a  way  she  was 
giving  you  excellent  advice.  A  good  wife  would 
make  a  tremendous  difference  in  your  life.  " 

"Tremendous!"  assented  Tony  with  a  shudder. 
"I  should  probably  have  to  give  up  smoking 
in  bed  and  come  down  to  breakfast  every 
morning. " 

"You  would  be  all  the  better  for  it,"  said  Guy 
firmly.  "I  was  thinking,  however,  more  of  your 
general  outlook  on  things.  Marriage  with  the  right 
woman  might  make  you  realize  that  your  position 
carries  with  it  certain  duties  that  you  ought  to  regard 
both  as  a  privilege  and  a  pleasure. " 

"Is  going  into  Parliament  one  of  them?"  asked 
Tony. 

"Certainly.  As  a  large  landowner  you  are  just 
the  type  of  man  who  is  badly  wanted  in  the  House  of 
Commons." 

"They  must  be  devilish  hard  up  for  legislators," 
said  Tony.  "Still,  if  you  and  Henry  have  made 
up  your  minds,  I  expect  I  shall  have  to  do  it. "  He 
paused.     "I  don't  think  I  should  like  to  be  the 


34  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

member  for  Balham  North  though,"  he  added  re- 
flectively. ' '  It  sounds  Hke  the  sort  of  place  where 
a  chorus  girl's  mother  would  live. " 

Any  defence  of  the  constituency  which  Guy  may 
have  had  to  offer  was  cut  short  by  the  re-entrance  of 
.Spalding. 

^'The  car  is  at  the  door,  sir, "  he  observed. 

"Aren't  you  going  to  finish  your  dinner?"  inquired 
Guy,  as  Tony  pushed  back  his  chair. 

The  latter  shook  his  head.  "I  never  eat  much 
before  a  fight,"  he  said.  "It  prevents  my  getting 
properly  excited.  "  He  got  up  from  his  seat.  "Be- 
sides," he  added,  "I  always  take  Bugg  round  to 
Shepherd's  after  he  has  knocked  out  his  man,  and  we 
celebrate  the  victory  with  stout  and  oysters.  It's 
Bugg's  idea  of  Heaven." 

He  passed  out  into  the  hall  where  Spalding  helped 
him  on  with  his  coat.  Outside  the  front  door 
stood  a  beautifully  appointed  Rolls-Royce  limousine, 
painted  the  colour  of  silver  and  upholstered  in  grey 
Bedford  cord.  Jennings  was  at  the  wheel  and  inside 
sat  Tiger  Bugg  and  a  large  red-faced  man  with 
little  twinkling  black  eyes.  This  latter  was  Mr. 
"Blink  "  McFarland,  the  celebrated  proprietor  of  the 
Hampstead  Heath  Gymnasium,  who  acted  as  Tiger's 
trainer  and  sparring  partner.  They  both  touched 
their  caps  as  Tony  appeared. 

"I  wouldn't  let  'im  get  out,  sir,  "  observed  McFar- 
land in  a  gruff  voice.  ' '  Might  'a  took  a  chill  hangin' 
around." 

"Quite    right,    Blink,"    replied    Tony    gravely. 


Two  Yellow-Faced  Foreigners        35 

"Lopez  isn't  to  be  sneezed  at  even  by  a  future 
champion." 

He  lit  himself  a  cigarette,  and  stepping  inside 
closed  the  door  behind  him.  Spalding  made  a  signal 
to  Jennings  and  the  big  car  slid  off  noiselessly  down 
the  drive. 

Tony  turned  to  Bugg.  "Feeling  all  right?"  he 
inquired. 

The  young  prize-fighter  grinned  amiably.  "Fine, 
sir,  thank  ye,  sir.  " 

With  an  affectionate  gesture,  McFarland  laid  an 
enormous  mottled  hand  on  his  charge's  knee.  ' '  He's 
fit  to  jump  out  of  'is  skin,  sir;  you  take  it  from  me. 
If  he  don't  knock  two  sorts  of  blue  'ell  out  of  that 
dirty  faced  dago  I'll  give  up  trainin'  fighters  and 
start  keepin'  rabbits. " 

' '  Lopez  is  supposed  to  have  a  bit  of  a  punch  him- 
self, isn't  he?"  inquired  Tony. 

McFarland  made  a  hoarse  rumbling  noise  which 
was  presumably  intended  for  a  laugh. 

"All  the  better  for  us,  sir.  The  harder  'e  hits  the 
more  'e'll  hurt  hisself.  It's  a  forlorn  jog  punchin' 
Tiger.     You  might  as  well  kick  a  pavin'  stone.  " 

Bugg,  who  was  evidently  susceptible  to  compli- 
ments, blushed  like  a  schoolgirl,  and  then  to  cover 
his  confusion  turned  an  embarrassed  gaze  out  of  the 
window.  The  long  descent  of  Haverstock  Hill  was 
flying  past  at  a  rare  pace,  for  whatever  might  be 
Jenning's  shortcomings  as  a  cheerful  companion  he 
could  certainly  drive  a  car.  Indeed  it  could  scarcely 
have  been  more  than  ten  minutes  from  the  moment 


36  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

they  left  the  Heath,  until,  with  a  loud  blast  from 
the  horn,  they  glided  round  the  comer  of  the  street 
into  Covent  Garden. 

The  pavement  and  roadway  in  front  of  the  Cos- 
mopolitan were  filled  by  the  usual  rough-looking 
crowd  that  invariably  congregates  outside  the  Club 
on  the  occasion  of  a  big  fight.  With  surprising 
swiftness,  however,  a  space  was  cleared  for  Tony's 
car,  and  as  its  three  occupants  stepped  out,  a  hoarse 
excited  buzz  of  "That's  'im!  that's  Tiger!"  rose  up 
all  round  them. 

Bugg  and  McFarland  hurried  through  into  the 
Club ;  Tony  stopping  behind  for  a  moment  to  give 
some  directions  to  Jennings. 

"You  can  put  the  car  up  at  the  R.A.C.,  "  he  said. 
"I'll  telephone  over  when  I  want  you. " 

He  followed  the  others  across  the  pavement,  amid 
encouraging  observations  of,  "Good-luck,  me  lord!" 
and  one  or  two  approving  pats  on  the  back  from 
hearty  if  not  overclean  hands. 

Bugg  and  his  trainer  had  of  course  gone  direct  to 
their  dressing-room,  where  Tony  made  no  attempt 
to  pursue  them.  He  knew  that  Tiger's  preparations 
were  safe  in  McFarland's  hands,  so  relinquishing  his 
coat  to  one  of  the  hall  porters,  he  walked  straight 
through  to  the  big  gymnasium  where  the  Club  con- 
tests were  held. 

It  was  an  animated  scene  that  met  his  eyes  as  he 
entered.  A  preliminary  bout  was  in  progress  and 
round  the  raised  and  roped  dais  in  the  centre,  with 
its  blinding  glare  of  light  overhead,  sat  a  thousand  or 


Two  Yellow-Faced  Foreigners        37 

fifteen  hundred  of  London's  most  eminent  "sports- 
men."  They  were  nearly  all  in  evening  dress:  the 
dazzling  array  of  white  shirt  fronts  and  diamond 
studs  affording  a  vivid  testimony  to  the  interest 
taken  in  pugilism  by  the  most  refined  and  educated 
classes. 

As  soon  as  the  round  was  ended,  Tony  made  his 
way  slowly  towards  his  seat  by  the  ring-side,  exchang- 
ing innumerable  greetings  as  he  passed  along.  Almost 
everybody  seemed  to  know  him,  and  he  seemed  to 
have  a  smile  and  a  cheery  word  for  them  all. 

A  few  yards  from  his  destination  he  came  across 
the  Marquis  da  Freitas.  That  distinguished  states- 
man was  seated  in  the  front  row  of  chairs  enjoying 
a  big  cigar,  while  beside  him  lounged  a  dark,  squarely 
built,  rather  coarse-featured  youth,  who  greeted 
Tony  with  an  affable  if  slightly  condescending  wave 
of  his  hand.  The  latter  was  none  other  than  His 
Majesty  King  Pedro  the  Fifth,  the  rightful  though 
temporarily  discarded  ruler  of  Livadia. 

Tony  pulled  up  at  this  mark  of  Royal  recognition 
and  shook  hands  with  the  Marquis  and  his  monarch. 
It  was  understood  that  on  such  occasions  as  the 
present  the  ex-king  preferred  to  be  regarded  as  an 
ordinary  member  of  the  Club. 

* '  Everything  is  good  I  hope, ' '  he  observed  to  Tony. 
"Your  man  he  is  up  to  the  scratch — eh?" 
'     He  spoke  English  confidently,  but  with  a  marked 
foreign  accent. 

"Rather,  "  said  Tony.  "Never  been  fitter  in  his 
life.     No  excuses  if  we're  beaten. " 


38  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Da  Freitas  blew  out  a  philosophic  puff  of  smoke. 
"Ah,  Sir  Antony,  "  he  observed,  "that  is  one  of  your 
national  virtues.  You  are  good  losers,  you  English. 
Perhaps  you  do  not  feel  defeat  as  deeply  as  South- 
erners. " 

"Perhaps  not,"  admitted  Tony  cheerfully. 
"Anyhow,  it's  not  much  good  making  a  song 
about  things,  is  it?  One's  bound  to  strike  a  snag 
occasionally. " 

The  Marquis  nodded.  "In  Livadia, "  he  said 
softly,  "we  do  not  like  to  be  beaten.     We " 

There  was  a  loud  tang  from  the  gong  and  the  two 
boxers  sprang  up  out  of  their  respective  corners  to 
resume  the  fight.  With  a  gesture  of  apology  Tony 
moved  along  to  his  seat,  where  he  found  himself 
next  to  "Doggy"  Donaldson,  who  was  discharging 
his  customary  role  of  Master  of  the  Ceremonies. 
He  welcomed  Tony  with  a  grip  of  the  hand. 

"Glad  you've  turned  up,  "  he  said.  "I  never  feel 
really  happy  till  both  parties  are  in  the  Club.  All 
serene?" 

"As  far  as  we're  concerned,"  replied  Tony. 

Donaldson  rubbed  hs  hands.  "That's  good,  "  he 
observed  contentedly.  "We'll  have  'em  in  the  ring 
by  nine-thirty  at  latest.  That'll  just  give  us  time 
to — Hullo!  Look  at  that!  Damned  if  Young  Alf 
isn't  chucking  it. " 

One  of  the  two  contesting  youths  had  suddenly 
stepped  back  and  held  out  his  hand  to  his  opponent. 
He  had  just  received  a  severe  dig  in  the  stomach, 
which  had  apparently  convinced  him  for  the  moment 


Two  Yellow-Faced  Foreigners        39 

that  boxing  was  an  unfriendly  and  over-rated  amuse- 
ment. 

With  a  grunt  of  disgust  at  such  pusillanimity 
Donaldson  clambered  up  into  the  ring,  and  in  a 
stentorian  voice  announced  the  name  of  the  winner. 
He  then  introduced  two  more  lithe-limbed  active- 
looking  lads,  who  promptly  set  about  the  task  of 
punching  each  other's  heads  with  refreshing  accu- 
racy and  vigour. 

It  was  about  a  quarter-past  nine  when  this  bout 
came  to  an  end,  and  preparations  were  begun  for  the 
principal  event.  Two  buckets  of  clean  water  were 
brought  in,  and  a  large  cardboard  box  containing  a 
couple  of  new  pairs  of  boxing-gloves  was  deposited 
in  the  centre  of  the  ring.  Then,  while  a  truculent 
looking  gentleman  in  flannel  trousers  and  a  sweater 
strolled  about  crushing  lumps  of  resin  beneath  his 
feet.  Doggy  Donaldson  again  hoisted  himself  into 
the  roped  square,  and  held  up  his  hand  for  silence. 

"Gentlemen,"  he  said,  "I  have  the  pleasure  to 
announce  that  the  Committee  has  decided  to  match 
the  winner  of  to-night's  contest  against  Jack  Rivers, 
the  holder  of  the  Lonsdale  Welter  Weight  Belt." 

The  applause  that  greeted  this  statement  had 
scarcely  died  away,  when  a  louder  and  more  enthusi- 
astic outburst  proclaimed  the  appearance  of  the  box- 
ers. They  came  on  from  different  sides  of  the  build- 
ing each  with  a  small  army  of  seconds  in  attendance. 
Climbing  up  into  opposite  corners  of  the  ring  they 
bowed  their  acknowledgments  to  the  audience,  and 
then,  after  carefully  rubbing  their  feet  in  the  resin, 


40  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

seated  themselves  on  the  small  stools  that  had  been 
placed  in  readiness. 

A  number  of  lengthy  preliminaries  followed.  The 
bandages  that  each  man  wore  on  his  hands  were 
gravely  inspected  by  one  of  his  rival's  seconds,  while 
another  opened  the  cardboard  box,  and  selected  one 
of  the  two  pairs  of  gloves  for  his  principal.  They 
were  nice-looking  gloves,  but  to  the  casual  observer 
they  would  have  appeared  to  be  constructed  more  for 
the  purpose  of  conforming  to  the  law  than  of  really 
deadening  the  effect  of  a  blow.  By  dint  of  much 
pulling  and  straining,  however,  each  boxer  managed 
to  get  them  on,  and  then  sat  with  a  dressing-gown 
over  his  shoulders  while  "Doggy"  Donaldson  made 
the  inevitable  introductions. 

' '  Gentlemen !  A  twenty  three-minute  round  con- 
test between  'Lightning'  Lopez  of  Livadia  on  my 
right,  and  'Tiger'  Bugg  of  Hampstead  on  my  left. 
The  bout  will  be  refereed  by  Mr.  'Dick'  Fisher.  " 

An  elderly  man  in  evening  dress  with  a  weather- 
beaten  face,  hard  blue  eyes,  and  a  chin  like  the  toe 
of  a  boot  stepped  up  alongside  the  speaker  and  jerked 
his  head  at  the  audience.  He  was  an  ex-amateur 
champion  of  England,  and  one  of  the  best  judges  of 
boxing  in  the  world. 

The  gong  sounded  as  a  signal  to  clear  the  ring,  and 
the  cluster  of  seconds  each  side  made  a  leisurely 
exit  through  the  ropes.  For  a  moment  the  two 
boxers  were  left  sitting  on  their  respective  stools 
facing  each  other  across  the  brilliantly  lighted  arena. 
Then  came  another  clang,  and  with  a  simultaneous 


Two  Yellow-Faced  Foreigners       41 

movement  they  leaped  lightly  to  their  feet,  and 
advanced  swiftly  but  cautiously  towards  the  centre. 

To  any  one  sufficiently  pagan  to  admire  the  human 
form  they  made  a  pleasing  and  effective  picture. 
Both  nude,  except  for  a  pair  of  very  short  blue  trunks, 
they  moved  forward  with  the  lithe  grace  of  a  couple 
of  young  panthers.  Under  the  pitiless  glare  of  the 
big  arc  lamps  the  rippling  muscles  on  their  backs 
and  shoulders  were  plainly  visible.  Bugg's  white 
skin  stood  out  in  dazzling  contrast  to  the  swarthy 
colour  of  his  opponent,  but  as  far  as  bodily  perfection 
went  there  seemed  to  be  nothing  to  choose  between 
them. 

For  a  few  seconds  they  circled  stealthily  round 
the  ring  sparring  for  an  opening.  Lopez,  who  had 
adopted  a  slightly  crouching  pose,  was  the  more 
aggressive  of  the  two.  He  was  famed  for  the  fierce 
impetuousness  of  his  methods,  and  on  his  last  appear- 
ance at  the  Club  he  had  signalized  the  occasion  by 
knocking  out  his  adversary  in  the  second  round. 

In  the  present  instance,  however,  he  appeared  to  be 
a  little  at  a  loss.  There  was  nothing  very  unusual 
to  the  eye  about  Bugg's  style,  but  the  almost  con- 
temptuous ease  with  which  he  brushed  aside  a  couple 
of  lightning-like  left  leads  was  distinctly  disconcert- 
ing to  his  opponent. 

Realizing  apparently  that  as  far  as  quickness  and 
skill  went  he  had  met  more  than  his  match,  the 
Livadian  evidently  decided  that  his  usual  robust 
tactics  might  be  the  most  effective.  He  drew  back  a 
pace,  and  then  slightly  dropping  his  head,  sprang  in 


42  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

with  the  vicious  fury  of  a  wildcat,  hitting  out  fiercely 
with  both  hands. 

The  suddenness  of  the  attack  would  have  taken 
most  boxers  by  surprise,  but  that  embarrassing 
emotion  appeared  to  have  no  place  in  Bugg's  philo- 
sophy. With  the  swiftness  of  light  he  stepped  to  one 
side,  and  just  as  the  human  battering  ram  in  front  of 
him  hurled  itself  forward,  he  brought  up  his  right 
hand  in  a  whizzing  upper  cut  that  caught  his  adver- 
sary under  the  angle  of  the  jaw.  The  blow  was  so 
perfectly  timed  and  delivered  with  such  tremendous 
force  that  it  lifted  Lopez  clean  off  his  feet.  With  his 
arms  flung  out  wide  each  side  of  him  he  made  a  sort 
of  convulsive  jerk  into  the  air,  and  then  crashed 
over  backwards  on  to  the  floor,  where  he  lay  a  huddled 
and  inert  mass. 

For  an  instant  the  whole  house  remained  hushed 
in  a  stupefied  silence.  Then  as  the  time-keeper 
began  to  count  off  the  fateful  seconds  a  sudden 
hoarse  roar  broke  out  all  over  the  building.  Above 
the  din  could  be  heard  the  voices  of  Lopez'  seconds, 
howling  abuse  and  entreaty  at  their  unconscious 
principal.  In  vain  the  referee  waved  his  arms,  en- 
treating some  sort  of  order  for  the  count. 

"Doggy"  Donaldson  clutched  Tony  by  the  wrist. 
"Damn  it!"  he  shouted  excitedly,  "I  believe  he's 
broken  his  neck. " 

Even  as  he  spoke  came  the  clang  of  the  time- 
keeper's gong,  signifying  that  the  ten  seconds  had 
passed.  In  a  moment  half  a  dozen  figures  were 
swarming  over  the  ropes,  but  before  any  one  of  them 


Two  Yellow-Faced  Foreigners        43 

could  reach  him,  Bugg  had  picked  up  his  Hmp, 
unconscious  adversary  in  his  arms,  and  was  carrying 
him  across  the  ring  to  his  own  corner.  He  seemed 
to  be  by  far  the  coolest  and  most  collected  person 
present. 

Almost  immediately  Tony  became  the  centre  of 
a  number  of  friends  and  acquaintances  who  were 
wringing  his  hand  and  congratulating  him  on  the 
victory.  After  a  minute  or  two  he  managed  to  free 
himself,  and  pushing  his  way  through  to  the  ring- 
side, inquired  anxiously  after  the  health  of  the 
unfortunate  Lopez.  "Doggy"  Donaldson,  who  was 
amongst  the  crowd  surrounding  that  fallen  warrior, 
bent  down  with  an  air  of  considerable  relief  upon 
his  honest  countenance. 

"It's  all  right,"  he  said,  "the  beggar's  coming 
round.  I  really  thought  for  a  moment  he  was  a 
goner  though.  Gad,  what  a  kick  that  boy  of  yours 
has  got!" 

"Well,  I'm  glad  it's  no  worse,  "  said  Tony. 

The  other  nodded.  "Yes,"  he  observed,  "we 
must  all  be  thankful  for  that.  It  would  have  been 
a  rotten  thing  for  the  Club  if  he'd  broken  his  neck.  " 

He  turned  away,  and  following  suit,  Tony  sud- 
denly found  himself  face  to  face  with  the  Marquis 
da  Freitas,  and  his  royal  master,  who  had  apparently 
stepped  forward  in  order  to  learn  the  news.  The 
Marquis  appeared  as  suave  as  ever,  but  anything 
more  sulky  looking  than  His  Majesty  it  would  have 
been  difficult  to  imagine. 

Da    Freitas    bowed    with    the    faintest     ironical 


44  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

exaggeration.     "Permit   me   to   congratulate   you, 
Sir  Antony.     Your  victory  is  indeed  crushing." 

Tony  regarded  him  with  his  usual  amiable  smile. 
"Thanks,  "  he  said.  "I  am  awfully  glad  your  man 
isn't  seriously  hurt.  It  was  bad  luck  his  running 
into  a  punch  like  that."  He  turned  to  Pedro. 
"You  can  have  a  return  match  you  know  any  time, 
if  you  care  about  it.  " 

His  Majesty  scowled.  ' '  I  will  see  him  dead  before 
I  back  him  again,  "  he  observed  bitterly. 

The  Marquis  da  Freitas  showed  his  white  teeth 
in  a  polite  smile.  ' '  I  fear  you  are  rather  too  strong 
for  us  in  the  boxing-ring.  Sir  Antony.  Perhaps 
some  day  we  may  find  a  more  favourable  battle- 
ground. " 

"I  hope  so,"  said  Tony.  "I  rather  like  having 
a  shade  of  odds  against  me.  It's  so  much  more 
interesting. " 

He  nodded  cheerfully  to  the  pair  of  them,  and 
moving  off  from  the  ring-side  began  to  make  his  way 
across  the  hall.  It  was  slow  work,  for  friends  kept 
on  pulling  him  up  with  boisterous  words  of  congratu- 
lation, while  several  of  them  made  strenuous  endeav- 
ours to  persuade  him  to  join  a  party  at  some 
neighbouring  night  club,  to  which  they  were  going 
on  for  supper. 

Tony,  however,  declined  the  invitation  on  the 
plea  of  a  previous  engagement.  As  he  had  told  Guy 
at  dinner  it  was  his  invariable  custom  after  a  success- 
ful fight  to  take  Bugg  out  to  Shepherd's,  the  cele- 
brated oyster  bar  in  Coventry  Street — a  resort  much 


Two  Yellow-Faced  Foreigners        45 

frequented  by  gentlemen  of  pugilistic  and  sporting 
tastes.  The  simple-minded  Tiger  had  not  many 
weaknesses,  but  on  these  occasions  it  afforded  him 
such  extreme  pleasure  to  be  seen  therewith  his  patron, 
that  Tony  wouldn't  have  missed  gratifying  him  for 
the  most  festive  supper  party  in  London. 

On  reaching  the  dressing-room  he  found  Bugg 
fully  clothed  and  in  the  centre  of  a  small  levee  of 
pressmen  and  fellow  pugilists.  McFarland,  im- 
mensely in  his  element,  was  dispensing  champagne 
to  the  visitors,  and  explaining  how  very  lately  his  own 
unrivalled  training  methods  had  contributed  to  the 
result. 

Tony  stopped  and  chatted  amiably  for  a  few 
minutes  until  he  could  manage  to  extract  Bugg  from 
the  centre  of  his  admirers.  When  at  last  they 
succeeded  in  getting  away  they  slipped  out  quietly 
by  the  side  door  of  the  Club  in  order  to  avoid  the 
crowd  who  were  still  hanging  about  the  front,  and 
with  a  breath  of  relief  found  themselves  in  the  cool 
night  air  of  Long  Acre. 

Tony  lit  a  cigarette  and  offered  one  to  his  com- 
panion. 

"You  positively  surpassed  yourself  to-night, 
Bugg,  "  he  said.  "The  worst  of  it  is  that  if  you  go 
on  improving  in  this  way,  I  shall  have  to  find  a 
new  profession.  No  one  will  dare  to  bet  against 
you." 

"I  'ope  I  didn't  shove  it  across  'im  too  sudden, 
sir ? "  inquired  Bugg  anxiously.  "You  said  you  was 
in  a  hurry. ' ' 


46  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"It  was  perfect,"  said  Tony.  "The  only  person 
who  had  any  complaint  to  make  was  King  Pedro." 

Bugg  sniffed  contemptuously.  "  'E  ain't  much  of 
a  king,  sir.  I  don't  wonder  they  give  'im  the  chuck. 
A  real  king  wouldn't  taike  on  abaht  droppin'  a  few 
quids. " 

"I  daresay  you're  right,  "  said  Tony.  "A  certain 
recklessness  in  finance " 

He  suddenly  pulled  up  and  for  a  moment  remained 
where  he  was,  staring  across  the  street.  On  the 
opposite  pavement,  in  the  bright  circle  of  light 
thrown  by  one  of  the  big  electric  standards,  he  had 
caught  sight  of  the  figure  of  a  girl,  who  at  that  dis- 
tance reminded  him  curiously  of  Molly  Monk.  She 
had  apparently  just  come  out  of  the  entrance  to 
some  flats  above,  and  with  a  bag  in  her  hand  she  was 
standing  there  in  an  uncertain,  indefinite  sort  of  way, 
as  though  she  scarcely  knew  what  to  do  next. 

Realizing  that  it  couldn't  be  Molly,  who  was  of 
course  at  the  theatre,  Tony  was  just  about  to  move 
on  again,  when  something  checked  him. 

Two  well-dressed  men  in  dark  overcoats  and  soft 
hats  had  suddenly  appeared  out  of  the  shadow  ahead 
and  advanced  quickly  to  where  the  girl  was  standing. 
For  an  instant  they  all  three  remained  facing  each 
other  under  the  light,  and  then  taking  off  his  hat,  one 
of  them  addressed  her. 

With  a  little  frightened  gesture  the  girl  shrank 
back  against  the  wall,  where  she  glanced  wildly 
round  as  though  seeking  for  some  means  of  escape. 
The  man  who  had  spoken  followed  her  forward,  his 


Two  Yellow-Faced  Foreigners        47 

hat  still  in  his  hand,  apparently  making  an  effort 
to  reassure  her. 

Tony  turned  to  Bugg.  "We  really  can't  allow 
this  sort  of  thing  in  Long  Acre, "  he  observed.  "It 
has  always  been  a  most  respectable  street. " 

He  threw  away  his  cigarette,  and  followed  by 
the  future  champion  of  England  started  off  briskly 
across  the  road. 

On  hearing  their  footsteps  the  two  men  spun 
round  with  some  abruptness.  They  were  both 
obviously  foreigners,  and  the  sight  of  their  sallow 
faces  and  black  moustaches  filled  Tony  with  a 
pleasant  sense  of  patriotic  morality. 

Without  paying  any  attention  to  either  of  them 
he  walked  straight  up  to  the  girl,  and  taking  off  his 
hat  made  her  a  slight  bow. 

"I  beg  your  pardon,  "  he  said,  "but  from  the  other 
side  of  the  road  it  looked  as  if  these  gentlemen  were 
annoying  you.     Can  I  be  of  any  assistance?" 

She  gazed  up  at  him  with  grateful  eyes.  At  close 
quarters  her  resemblance  to  Molly,  though  still  re- 
markable, was  not  quite  so  convincing.  She  was  a 
little  younger  and  slighter,  and  there  was  a  delicate 
air  of  distinction  about  her  that  was  entirely  her 
own. 

"Oh,  if  you  would  be  so  kind,"  she  said  in  a 
delightfully  soft  voice.  "  I  do  not  wish  to  speak  with 
these  men.  If  you  could  send  them  away — right 
away " 

"Why,  of  course,"  replied  Tony  with  his  most 
cheerful  smile,  "please  don't  distress  yourself.  " 


48  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

He  turned  to  the  two  sallow-faced  strangers  who 
seemed  to  have  been  utterly  disconcerted  by  his 
sudden  appearance  on  the  scene. 

"Go  away,"  he  said,  "and  hurry  up  about  it." 


CHAPTER  IV 

LIKE   A   FAIRY    STORY 

There  was  a  short  pause,  and  then  the  shorter  of 
the  two  men  stepped  forward.  He  was  an  aggressive 
looking  person  with  a  cast  in  his  eye,  and  he  spoke 
with  a  sHght  foreign  accent. 

"Sir,"  he  said,  "you  are  making  a  mistake.  We 
do  not  intend  any  insult  to  this  lady.  We  are  indeed 
her  best  friends.  If  you  will  be  good  enough  to 
withdraw 

With  the  gleam  of  battle  in  his  eye,  Bugg  ranged  up 
alongside  the  speaker,  and  tapped  him  on  the  elbow. 

' '  'Ere ! "  he  observed.  ' '  You  'card  wot  the  guv'nor 
said,  didn't  you?"  He  jerked  his  thumb  over  his 
left  shoulder.     "'Op  it  before  you  get  'urt. " 

Tony  turned  to  the  girl.  "You  mustn't  be  mixed 
up  in  a  street  fight,"  he  said.  "If  you  will  allow 
me  to  see  you  to  a  taxi,  my  friend  here  will  prevent 
these  unpleasant  looking  people  from  following  us." 

He  offered  her  his  arm,  and  after  a  second's 
hesitation  she  laid  a  small  gloved  hand  upon  his 
sleeve. 

"It  is  very  kind  of  you, "  she  faltered.  "I  fear  I 
am  going  to  give  you  a  great  deal  of  trouble. " 

*  49 


50  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"Not  a  bit,"  replied  Tony.  "I  love  interfering 
in  other  people's  affairs.  " 

With  a  swift  stride  the  cross-eyed  gentleman 
thrust  himself  across  their  path. 

' '  No,  no ! "  he  exclaimed  vehemently.  ' '  You  must 
not  listen  to  this  man.     You " 

With  a  powerful  thrust  of  his  disengaged  arm 
Tony  sent  him  staggering  back  to  the  edge  of  the 
pavement,  w^here  he  stumbled  over  the  curb  and  sat 
down  heavily  in  the  gutter. 

His  companion,  seeing  his  fall,  gave  a  guttural 
cry  of  anger  and  lifting  the  light  stick  that  he  was 
carrying  lashed  out  savagely  at  Bugg.  As  coolly  as 
if  he  were  in  the  ring  the  latter  ducked  under  the 
blow,  and  coming  up  with  a  beautiful  straight  left 
knocked  his  assailant  spinning  against  the  lamp- 
post. 

Tony  turned  again  to  the  girl  at  his  side.  "I  am 
afraid  we  must  tear  ourselves  away,"  he  remarked. 
"We  shall  have  half  London  here  in  a  moment.  " 

Already  from  down  the  street  came  the  shrill  blast 
of  a  whistle,  followed  a  moment  later  by  the  sound 
of  running  footsteps.  Heedless  of  these  warnings  the 
two  strangers,  now  apparently  reckless  with  fury, 
were  collecting  themselves  for  a  fresh  attack. 

"Keep  them  busy,  Bugg,"  said  Tony  quietly; 
and  the  next  instant  he  and  the  girl  were  hurrying 
along  the  pavement  in  the  direction  of  Martin's  Lane. 
That  fairly  prosperous  thoroughfare  was  only  a  few 
yards'  distant,  but  before  they  could  reach  it  the 
sounds  of    a  magnificent  tumult    broke  out  again 


Like  a  Fairy  Story  51 

behind  them.     The  girl  glanced  nervously  over  her 
shoulder,  and  her  grip  on  Tony's  arm  tightened. 

"Oh!"  she  gasped,  "oughtn't  we  to  go  back? 
Your  friend  will  be  hurt ! ' ' 

Tony  laughed  reassuringly.  "If  any  one's  hurt," 
he  observed,  "it's  much  more  likely  to  be  one  of  the 
other  gentlemen. " 

They  rounded  the  corner,  and  as  they  did  so  a 
disengaged  taxi  came  bowling  opportunely  up  the 
street.     Tony  signalled  to  the  driver  to  stop. 

"Here  we  are!"  he  said. 

A  look  of  frightened  dismay  leaped  suddenly  into 
his  companion's  pretty  face. 

"What's  the  matter?"  asked  Tony. 

"I — I  forgot,"  she  stammered.  "I  can't  take  a 
taxi.     I — I  haven't  any  money  with  me.  " 

There  was  a  moment's  pause,  while  the  driver  bent 
forward  from  his  box  listening  with  interest  to  the 
spirited  echoes  from  Long  Acre. 

"That's  all  right,"  remarked  Tony.  "We  will 
talk  about  it  in  the  cab."  He  turned  to  the  driver. 
"Take  us  to  Verrier's, "  he  said.  It  was  the  first 
place  that  happened  to  come  into  his  head. 

The  man  jerked  his  head  in  the  direction  of  the 
noise.  "Bit  of  a  scrap  on  from  the  sound  of  it,  sir! " 
he  observed. 

Tony  nodded.  "Yes,  "  he  said  regretfully,  "it's  a 
quarrelsome  world. " 

He  helped  his  companion  into  the  taxi,  and  then 
following  himself,  shut  the  door.  The  vehicle  started 
off  with  a  jerk,  and  as  it  swung  round  the  corner  into 


52  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Coventry  Street,  its  occupants  were  able  to  catch  a 
momentary  glimpse  of  the  spot  they  had  so  recently 
quitted.  It  appeared  to  be  filled  by  a  small  but 
animated  crowd,  in  the  centre  of  which  a  cluster  of 
whirling  figures  was  distinctly  visible.  Tony  heard 
the  girl  beside  him  give  a  faint  gasp  of  dismay. 

"It's  all  right,  "  he  said.  "Bugg's  used  to  fighting. 
He  likes  it. " 

She  looked  up  at  him  anxiously.  "He  is  a  sol- 
dier?" she  asked,  in  that  soft  attractive  voice  of 
hers. 

Tony  suppressed  a  laugh  just  in  time.  ' '  Something 
of  the  sort,"  he  answered.  Then  with  a  pleasant 
feeling  that  the  whole  adventure  was  becoming 
rather  interesting  he  added :  "  I  say,  I  have  told  the 
man  to  drive  us  to  Verrier's.  I  hope  if  you  aren't 
in  a  hurry  you  will  be  charitable  and  join  me  in  a 
little  supper — will  you?     I'm  simply  starving." 

By  the  light  of  a  passing  street  lamp  he  suddenly 
caught  sight  of  the  troubled  expression  that  had  come 
into  her  eyes. 

"Do  just  what  you  like,  of  course,"  he  added 
quickly.  ' '  If  you  would  rather  I  drove  you  straight 
home ' ' 

"As  a  matter  of  fact, "  said  the  girl  with  a  sort  of 
desperate  calmness.     "I  haven't  a  home  to  go  to." 

There  was  another  brief  pause.  "Well,  in  that 
case,  "  remarked  Tony  cheerfully,  "there  is  no  possi- 
ble objection  to  our  having  a  little  supper — is  there? " 

For  a  moment  she  stared  out  of  the  window  with- 
out replying.     It  was  plain  that  she  was  the  prey  of 


Like  a  Fairy  Story  53 

several  contradictory  emotions,   of  which  a  vague 
restless  fear  seemed  to  be  the  most  prominent. 

"I  don't  know  what  to  do,"  she  said  unhappily. 
"You  are  very  kind,  but " 

"There  is  only  one  possible  thing  to  do,"  inter- 
rupted Tony  firmly,  "and  that  is  to  come  to  Verrier's. 
We  can  discuss  the  next  step  when  we  get  there." 

Even  as  he  spoke  the  taxi  swerved  across  the  road, 
and  drew  up  in  front  of  the  famous  underground 
restaurant. 

Before  getting  out  the  girl  threw  a  quick  hunted 
glance  from  side  to  side  of  the  street.  "Do  you 
think  either  of  those  men  have  followed  us?"  she 
whispered. 

Tony  shook  his  head  comfortingly.  "From  what 
I  know  of  Bugg, "  he  said,  "I  should  regard  it  as 
highly  improbable. " 

He  settled  up  with  the  driver,  and  then  strolling 
across  the  pavement,  rejoined  the  girl,  who  was 
waiting  for  him  just  outside  the  entrance.  She  had 
evidently  made  a  great  effort  to  recover  her  self- 
composure,  for  she  looked  up  at  him  with  a  brave 
if  slightly  forced  smile. 

"I  must  make  myself  tidy,"  she  said,  "if  you 
won't  mind  waiting  a  minute.  I  am  simply  not  fit 
to  be  seen. " 

The  statement  appeared  to  be  exaggerated  to 
Tony,  but  he  allowed  it  to  pass  unchallenged. 

"Please  don't  hurry,"  he  said.  "I  want  to  use 
the  telephone,  and  if  I  finish  first  I  can  brood  over 
what  we'll  have  for  supper.  " 


54  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

She  smiled  again — this  time  more  naturally,  and 
taking  the  dressing-bag  that  he  had  been  carrying 
for  her,  disappeared  into  the  cloak-room.  Tony 
abandoned  his  hat  and  coat  to  a  waiter,  and  then 
sauntering  forward,  entered  the  restaurant. 

The  moment  he  appeared  the  manager,  who  was 
standing  on  the  other  side  of  the  room,  hastened 
across  to  greet  him. 

"Bon  soir.  Sir  Antony,"  he  observed  with  that 
dazzling  smile  of  welcome  that  managers  only  pro- 
duce for  their  most  wealthy  customers.  "May  I 
'ave  ze  pleasiare  of  finding  you  a  table." 

Tony  nodded  indulgently.  "You  may,  Gustave,'' 
he  said:  "A  table  for  two  with  flowers  on  it,  and  as 
far  away  from  the  band  as  possible."  He  paused. 
"Also,  "  he  added,  "I  w^ant  a  really  nice  little  supper. 
Something  with  imagination  about  it.  The  sort  of 
supper  that  you  would  offer  to  an  angel  if  you 
unexpectedly  found  one  with  an  appetite." 

The  manager  bowed  with  a  gesture  of  perfect 
comprehension. 

"And  while  you  are  wrestling  with  the  problem, " 
said  Tony,  "I  should  like  to  use  the  telephone  if  I 
may." 

He  was  shown  into  the  private  office,  where,  in 
response  to  polite  and  repeated  requests,  a  lady  at 
the  Exchange  eventually  found  leisure  to  connect 
him  with  Shepherd's  Oyster  Bar. 

"Is  Mr.  'Tiger'  Bugg  there?"  he  inquired. 

The  man  who  had  answered  the  call  departed  to 
have   a   look   round,   and   then   returned   with   the 


Like  a  Fairy  Story  55 

information  that  so  far  Mr.  Bugg  had  not  put  in  an 
appearance. 

"Well,  if  he  does  come,  "  said  Tony,  "will  you  tell 
him  for  me — Sir  Antony  Conway — that  I  shall  not 
be  able  to  join  him.  He  can  pick  up  the  car  at  the 
R.A.C." 

The  man  promised  to  deliver  the  message,  and  ring- 
ing off,  Tony  strolled  back  through  the  restaurant 
to  the  place  where  he  had  parted  from  his  charming 
if  slightly  mysterious  companion.  He  met  her  just 
coming  out  of  the  cloak-room. 

"Oh,  I  hope  I  haven't  kept  you  very  long,"  she 
said  penitently. 

Tony  looked  down  into  the  clear  amber  eyes  that 
were  turned  up  to  his  own,  and  thought  that  she  was 
even  prettier  than  he  had  at  first  imagined. 

"I  have  only  just  this  moment  finished  telephon- 
ing," he  said.  "The  Central  Exchange  are  like  the 
gods.     They  never  hurry.  " 

She  laughed  softly,  and  then,  as  the  waiter  on  duty 
opened  the  door  with  a  low  bow,  they  walked  forward 
into  the  restaurant. 

M.  Gustave,  more  affable  than  ever,  came  up  to 
conduct  them  to  their  table. 

At  the  sight  of  the  charming  arrangement  in 
maidenhair  and  narcissi  which  decorated  the  centre, 
the  girl  gave  a  little  exclamation  of  pleasure. 

"But  how  beautiful!"  she  said.  "  I  never  knew 
English  restaurants " 

She  stopped  short  as  though  she  suddenly  thought 
the  remark  were  better  unfinished. 


56  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Tony  took  no  notice  of  her  slight  embarrassment. 
"I  am  glad  you  like  flowers, "  he  said.  "It's  such  a 
nice  primitive,  healthy  taste.  Since  Mr.  Chamber- 
lain died  I  believe  I  am  the  only  person  in  London 
who  still  wears  a  button-hole.  " 

They  sat  down  on  opposite  sides  of  the  table,  and 
for  the  first  time  he  was  able  to  enjoy  a  complete 
and  leisurely  survey  of  his  companion. 

She  was  younger  than  he  had  thought  at  first — a 
mere  girl  of  seventeen  or  eighteen — with  the  com- 
plexion of  a  wild  rose,  and  the  lithe,  slender  figure  of 
a  forest  dryad.  It  was  her  red  hair  and  the  little 
firm,  delicately  moulded  chin  which  gave  her  that 
curious  superficial  resemblance  to  Molly  which  had 
originally  attracted  his  attention.  He  saw  now  that 
there  were  several  differences  between  them — one  of 
the  most  noticeable  being  the  colour  of  their  eyes. 
Molly's  were  blue — blue  as  the  sky,  while  this  girl's 
were  of  clear  deep  amber,  like  the  water  of  some  still 
pool  in  the  middle  of  a  moorland  stream. 

What  charmed  him  most  of  all,  however,  was  the 
faint  air  of  sensitive  pride  that  hung  about  her 
like  some  fragrant  perfume.  Although  obviously 
frightened  and  apparently  in  a  very  awkward 
predicament,  she  was  yet  facing  the  situation  with 
nervous  thoroughbred  courage  that  filled  Tony  with 
admiration. 

One  thing  struck  him  as  rather  incongruous.  She 
had  said  she  had  no  money,  and  yet  even  to  his  mascu- 
line eyes  it  was  quite  clear  that  the  clothes  she  was 
wearing,  though  simple  in  appearance,  could  onl;i^ 


Like  a  Fairy  Story  57 

have  been  made  by  a  most  expensive  dressmaker. 
On  the  Httle  finger  of  her  left  hand  he  also  noticed 
a  sapphire  and  diamond  ring  which  if  real  must  be 
of  considerable  value.  All  this  combined  to  fill 
him  with  an  agreeable  and  stimulating  curiosity. 

"I  hope  you  are  feeling  none  the  worse  for  our 
wild  adventures,"  he  said,  as  the  waiter  withdrew, 
after  handing  them  the  first  course. 

She  shook  her  head.  "You  have  been  extra- 
ordinarily kind, "  she  said  in  a  low  voice.  "I  have 
a  great  deal  to  thank  you  for.  I — I  hardly  know  how 
to  begin. " 

"Well,  suppose  we  begin  by  introducing  our- 
selves," he  suggested  cheerfully.  "My  name  is 
Conway — Sir  Antony  Conway.  My  more  intimate 
friends  are  occasionally  permitted  to  call  me 
Tony." 

She  hesitated  a  second  before  replying.  "My 
name  is  Isabel,"  she  said.  "Isabel  Francis,"  she 
added  a  little  lamely. 

"I  shall  call  you  'Isabel'  if  I  may,"  said  Tony. 
"'Miss  Francis'  sounds  so  unromantic  after  the 
thrilling  way  in  which  we  became  friends.  " 

He  paused  until  the  waiter,  who  had  bustled  up 
again  with  a  bottle  of  champagne  had  filled  their 
respective  glasses  and  retired. 

"And  as  we  have  become  friends,"  he  continued, 
"don't  you  think  you  can  tell  me  how  you  have 
managed  to  get  yourself  into  this — what  shall  we 
call  it — scrape?  I  am  not  asking  just  out  of  mere 
curiosity.     I  should  like  to  help  you  if  I  can.     You 


58  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

see  I  am  always  in  scrapes  myself,  so  I  might  be  able 
to  give  you  some  good  advice.  " 

The  gleam  of  fun  in  his  eyes,  and  the  friendly  way 
in  which  he  spoke,  seemed  to  take  away  much  of 
his  companion's  nervousness.  She  sipped  her  cham- 
pagne, looking  at  him  over  the  top  of  the  glass  with  a 
simple,  almost  childish  gratitude. 

"You  have  been  kind  and  nice,"  she  said  frankly. 
"I  don't  know  what  I  should  have  done  if  you  hadn't 
been  there.  "  She  put  down  her  glass.  "You  see, " 
she  went  on  in  a  slower  and  more  hesitating  way, 
"I — I  came  up  to  London  this  evening  to  stay  with 
an  old  governess  of  mine  who  has  a  fiat  in  Long  Acre. 
When  I  got  there  I  found  she  had  gone  away,  and 
then  I  didn't  know  what  to  do,  because  I  hadn't 
brought  any  money  with  me.  " 

"Wasn't  she  expecting  you?"  asked  Tony. 

Miss  "Isabel  Francis"  shook  her  head.  "No-o, " 
she  admitted.  "You  see  I  hadn't  time  to  write  and 
tell  her  I  w^as  coming."  She  paused.  "I — I  left 
home  rather  in  a  hurry,"  she  added  naively. 

Tony  leaned  back  in  his  chair  and  looked  at  her 
with  a  smile.     He  was  enjoying  himself  immensely- 

"And  our  two  yellow-faced  friends  in  evening- 
dress,"  he  asked.  "Were  they  really  old  acquaint- 
ances of  yours  ? ' ' 

The  frightened,  hunted  look  flashed  back  into  her 
eyes.  "No,  no,"  she  said  quickly.  "I  had  never 
seen  them  before  in  my  life.  I  had  just  left  the  flats 
when  they  came  up  and  spoke  to  me.  They  were 
both  strangers — quite  absolutely  strangers. " 


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Like  a  Fairy  Story  59 

She  spoke  eagerly,  as  though  specially  anxious 
that  her  words  should  carry  conviction,  but  somehow 
or  other  Tony  felt  a  little  sceptical.  He  couldn't 
forget  the  fierce  persistence  of  the  two  men,  which 
seemed  quite  out  of  keeping  with  the  idea  that  they 
had  been  interrupted  in  a  mere  piece  of  wanton 
impertinence.  Besides,  if  what  she  said  about  them 
were  true  it  would  hardly  account  for  her  unreasoning 
terror  that  they  might  have  followed  her  to  the 
restaurant.  Being  polite  by  nature,  however,  he  was 
careful  to  show  no  sign  of  doubting  her  statement. 

He  allowed  the  waiter  to  help  them  both  to  some 
attractive  looking  mystery  in  aspic,  and  then,  when 
they  were  again  alone,  he  leaned  forward  and 
observed  with  sympathy : 

"Well,  I'm  glad  we  happened  to  roll  up  at  the 
right  time.  It's  always  jolly  to  give  that  sort 
of  gentlemen  a  lesson  in  manners."  He  paused. 
"Have  you  made  any  kind  of  plans  about  what  you 
are  going  to  do  next?" 

She  shook  her  head.  "I — I  haven't  quite  de- 
cided, "  she  said.  ' '  I  suppose  I  must  find  some  place 
to  stay  at  until  Miss  Watson  comes  back.  " 

"How  long  will  that  be?" 

"I  don't  know.  You  see  she  has  just  gone  away 
and  shut  up  the  flat,  and  left  no  address.  " 

"Haven't  you  any  other  friends  in  London?" 

She  shook  her  head  again.  "Nobody,"  she  said, 
"at  least  nobody  who  could  help  me."  Then  she 
hesitated.  "I  have  lived  in  Paris  nearly  all  my 
life,"  she  added  by  way  of  explanation. 


6o  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

There  was  a  brief  silence. 

"If  you  will  forgive  my  mentioning  such  a  sordid 
topic,"  remarked  Tony  pleasantly,  "what  do  you 
propose  to  do  about  money?" 

"I  can  get  some  money  to-morrow,  "  she  answered. 
"I  can  sell  some  jewellery — this  ring  for  instance — 
and  there  are  other  things  in  my  bag. " 

"And  to-night?" 

She  glanced  round  rather  desperately.  "I  don't 
know.  I  must  go  somewhere.  I  was  thinking 
that  perhaps  I  could  sit  in  one  of  the  churches — 
or  there  might  be  a  convent — "  She  broke  off 
with  a  little  glance,  as  if  appealing  to  Tony  for  his 
advice. 

"Why  not  go  to  a  hotel?"  he  suggested.  "If 
you  will  allow  me,  I  will  lend  you  some  money,  and 
you  can  pay  me  back  when  it's  convenient. " 

She  flushed  slightly.  "Oh!"  she  stammered, 
"you  are  so  kind.  Perhaps  if  I  could  find  some  quite 
quiet  place — "  She  stopped  again,  but  looking  at 
her,  Tony  could  see  the  old  hunted  expression  still 
lurking  in  her  eyes.  Somehow  he  felt  certain  that 
she  was  thinking  about  the  two  strangers. 

A  sudden  brilliant  idea  suggested  itself  to  him. 
"Look  here!"  he  exclaimed.  "How  would  this  do? 
My  butler's  wife — Mrs.  Spalding — has  got  a  small 
house  just  off  Heath  Street,  Hampstead.  I  know 
she  lets  rooms  and  I  am  pretty  nearly  sure  that  just 
at  present  there  is  no  one  there.  Why  shouldn't 
we  run  up  in  the  car  and  have  a  look  at  the  place? 
She  could  fix  you  up  for  the  night  anyway,  and  if  you 


Like  a  Fairy  Story  6i 

find  you  like  it  you  can  stay  on  there  till  your  Miss — 
Miss  Thingumbob  comes  back." 

A  natur£lly  distrustful  nature  was  evidently  not 
one  of  Isabel's  characteristics,  for  she  received  the 
proposal  with  the  most  frank  and  genuine  gratitude. 

'  *  Oh ! ' '  she  cried,  ' '  that  would  be  nice !  But  won't 
she  be  asleep  by  now?" 

"It  doesn't  matter  if  she  is,  "  said  Tony  tranquilly. 
' '  We  will  pick  up  Spalding  on  the  way  and  take  him 
round  with  us  to  rout  her  out.  If  she  feels  peevish 
at  being  waked  up,  she  can  let  the  steam  off  on  him 
first." 

He  beckoned  to  the  waiter  and  asked  that  ac- 
complished nenchman  to  ring  up  the  R.A.C.  and 
instruct  Jennings  to  bring  the, car  round  to  Verrier's. 

"And  find  out,"  he  added,  "whether  '  Tiger  Bugg* 
has  turned  up  there  or  not.  " 

The  waiter  departed  on  his  mission,  coming  back  in 
a  few  minutes  with  the  information  that  the  car 
would  be  round  at  once,  and  that  so  far  Mr.  '  Tiger ' 
Bugg  had  neither  been  seen  nor  heard  of. 

"I  wonder  where  he  can  be,"  said  Tony  to  his 
companion.  "He  can't  possibly  have  taken  all  this 
time  to  slaughter  a  couple  of  dagoes.  I  am  afraid  the 
police  must  have  interfered. " 

The  suggestion  seemed  to  fill  Isabel  with  a  certain 
amount  of  dismay. 

"The  police!"  she  exclaimed,  clasping  her  hands. 
"Oh,  but  I  hope  not.  He  is  so  brave  he  would  have 
fought  with  them,  and  perhaps  they  may  have  killed 
him." 


62  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

The  picture  of  a  desperately  resisting  Bugg  be- 
ing hacked  to  pieces  on  the  pavement  by  infuri- 
ated bobbies  appealed  hugely  to  Tony's  sense  of 
humour. 

"I  don't  think  it's  likely, "  he  said  in  a  reassuring 
tone.  "The  English  police  as  a  whole  are  very 
good-natured.  They  seldom  take  life  except  in 
self-defence." 

He  added  one  or  two  other  items  of  information 
with  regard  to  Bugg's  hardihood  and  fertility  of 
resource,  which  seemed  to  comfort  Isabel,  and  then, 
with  the  latter's  permission,  he  lighted  a  cigarette  and 
called  for  his  bill. 

He  was  just  settHng  it  when  news  came  that  the 
car  had  arrived.  He  instructed  the  waiter  to  place 
Isabel's  bag  inside,  and  then  bidding  good-night  to 
the  bowing  and  valedictory  M.  Gustave,  they  walked 
upstairs  to  the  entrance. 

They  found  the  big  gleaming  Rolls-Royce  drawn 
up  by  the  curb  with  Jennings  standing  in  a  joyless 
attitude  at  the  door.  When  his  glance  fell  on  Isabel 
he  looked  more  pessimistic  than  ever. 

"Any  news  of  Bugg?"  inquired  Tony. 

The  chauffeur  shook  his  head.  "Not  a  word, 
sir." 

"I  left  a  message  at  Shepherd's  that  he  was  to 
come  and  pick  you  up  at  the  Club.  I  wonder  what's 
happened  to  him. " 

For  a  moment  Jennings  brooded  darkly  over  the 
problem.  "Perhaps  he  got  some  internal  injury  in 
the  fight  and  was  took  sudden  with  it  in  the  street, " 


Like  a  Fairy  Story  63 

he  suggested.  "I  could  run  round  the  'orspitals  and 
make  inquiries  if  you  wished,  sir?" 

"Thank  you,  Jennings,"  said  Tony.  "You  are 
very  helpful;  but  I  think  I  should  prefer  to  go  back 
to  Hampstead. " 

"Just  as  you  please,  sir,"  observed  Jennings  in- 
differently. 

He  closed  the  door  after  them,  and  then  mounting 
the  driving-seat,  started  off  along  Piccadilly. 

Isabel,  who  had  again  cast  a  quick  glance  out  of 
each  window,  turned  to  Tony  w4th  a  smile. 

"He  doesn't  seem  a  very  cheerful  man,  your 
chauffeur,  "  she  said.     "He  has  got  such  a  sad  voice.  " 

Tony  nodded.  "That's  the  reason  I  originally 
engaged  him.  I  like  to  have  a  few  miserable  people 
about  the  place :  they  help  me  to  realize  how  happy 
I  am  myself. " 

Isabel  laughed  merrily.  The  solution  of  her 
difficulties  in  the  way  of  a  lodging  seemed  to  have 
taken  an  immense  weight  off  her  spirits,  and  in  the 
agreeably  shaded  light  of  the  big  limousine  she  looked 
younger  and  prettier  than  ever.  So  far  his  new 
adventure  struck  Tony  as  being  quite  the  most 
interesting  and  promising  he  had  ever  embarked  on. 

As  the  car  glided  on  through  the  depressing 
architecture  of  Camden  Town  he  began  to  tell  her 
in  a  cheerful  inconsequent  sort  of  fashion  something 
about  his  house  and  general  surroundings.  She 
listened  with  the  utmost  interest,  the  whole  thing 
evidently  striking  her  as  being  highly  novel  and 
entertaining. 


64  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"And  do  you  live  quite  by  yourself?"  she  asked. 

"Quite,"  said  Tony.  "Except  for  Spalding  and 
Jennings  and  Bugg  and  a  cook  and  two  or  three 
maid-servants  and  dear  old  Guy!" 

"Who's  Guy?"  she  demanded. 

"Guy,"  he  said,  "can  be  best  described  as  being 
Guy.  In  addition  to  that  he  is  also  my  cousin  and 
my  secretary." 

"Your  secretary?"  she  repeated.  "Why,  what 
does  he  do?" 

"His  chief  occupation  is  doing  my  tenants."  said 
Tony.  ' '  In  his  spare  time  he  gives  me  good  advice 
which  I  never  follow.  You  must  come  to  breakfast 
to-morrow  and  make  his  acquaintance. " 

The  car  turned  in  at  the  drive  gates  of  '  *  Goodman's 
Rest, "  which  was  the  felicitous  name  that  Tony 
had  selected  for  his  house,  and  drew  up  outside  the 
front  entrance. 

"I  will  just  see  if  Spalding  has  gone  to  bed,"  he 
said  to  Isabel.  "If  not  it's  hardly  worth  while  your 
getting  out. " 

He  opened  the  door  with  his  key  and  entering  the 
hall,  which  was  lighted  softly  by  concealed  electric 
lamps,  pressed  a  bell  alongside  the  fireplace.  Almost 
immediately  a  door  swung  open  at  the  back  and 
Spalding  appeared  on  the  threshold. 

"Good,"  said  Tony,  "I  thought  you  might  have 
turned  in." 

"I  was  about  to  do  so,  Sir  Antony,"  replied 
Spalding  impassively.  * '  May  I  mention  how  pleased 
we  all  were  at  the  news  of  Bugg's  success. " 


Like  a  Fairy  Story  65 

"Oh,  you  have  heard  about  it!"  remarked  Tony. 
"Is  Bugg  back  then?" 

"No,  sir.  I  took  the  liberty  of  ringing  up  the 
CosmopoHtan.  The  Cook  had  a  half-crown  on,  sir, 
and  she  was  almost  painfully  anxious  to  ascertain 
the  result. " 

Tony  nodded  his  approval.  "After  the  way  she 
grilled  that  sole  to-night,"  he  said,  "I  would  deny 
her  nothing.  "  He  paused.  "Spalding,  "  he  added: 
"  are  you  frightened  of  your  wife  ?  " 

"No,  sir,"  replied  Spalding.  "At  least  not  more 
than  most  husbands,  sir.  " 

"  Well,  I  want  you  to  come  and  act  as  my  ambas- 
sador. There  is  a  young  lady  in  the  motor  outside 
who  is  in  need  of  somewhere  to  sleep  and  some  kind 
and  sensible  person  to  look  after  her.  I  know  Mrs. 
Spalding  lets  rooms,  and  although  it's  rather  a  queer 
time  of  night  to  receive  a  new  lodger,  I  thought  that 
if  you  came  and  put  the  case  to  her  tactfully,  she 
might  stretch  a  point  to  oblige  me." 

Spalding's  face  remained  beautifully  expression- 
less. "I  am  sure  my  wife  would  do  anything  to 
oblige  you,  sir,"  he  observed.  "If  you  will  excuse 
my  saying  so,  you  stand  very  high  in  her  good  opin- 
ion, sir." 

"Indeed!"  said  Tony.  "I  am  afraid  you  must  be 
an  extraordinarily  deceitful  husband,  Spalding." 

The  butler  bowed.  ' '  I  make  a  point,  sir,  of  only 
repeating  incidents  which  seem  to  me  likely  to  appeal 
to  her." 

"A   very   excellent   habit,"   said   Tony   gravely. 


66  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"Get  on  your  hat  and  coat,  and  we  will  see  how  it 
works  out  in  practice.  " 

A  few  minutes  later,  with  Spalding  sitting  on  the 
front  seat  alongside  of  Jennings,  they  were  retracing 
their  way  across  the  Heath.  On  reaching  the  main 
thoroughfare  they  turned  up  one  of  the  little  steep 
streets  that  run  off  to  the  right,  and  came  to  a  halt 
in  front  of  an  old-fashioned  row  of  small  white 
houses,  standing  back  behind  narrow  slips  of  garden. 

Spalding  opened  the  gate  for  them,  and  then 
leading  the  way  up  the  path,  let  them  in  at  the  front 
door  with  a  latch-key.  A  feeble  flicker  of  gas  was 
burning  in  the  hall. 

"If  you  will  wait  in  here,  sir, "  he  observed,  open- 
ing a  door  on  the  right,  "I  will  go  upstairs  and 
acquaint  my  wife  with  your  arrival.  " 

The  room  he  showed  them  into,  though  small  in 
size  and  simply  furnished,  was  a  remarkably  pleas- 
ant little  apartment.  In  the  first  place,  everything 
was  scrupulously  clean,  and  the  general  impression 
of  cheerful  freshness  was  heightened  by  a  couple  of 
bowls  of  hyacinths  in  full  bloom  which  stood  on  a 
table  in  the  window. 

"How  does  this  appeal  to  the  taste  of  Isabel?" 
inquired   Tony,  Hghting  himself   another  cigarette. 

' '  Why  it's  charming ! ' '  she  exclaimed.  ' '  I  shall  be 
so  happy  if  I  can  stay  here.  It  all  seems  so  free  and 
lovely  after — "  she  checked  herself — "after  where  I 
have  been  living,"  she  finished. 

"Well,  I  hope  it  will  all  be  up  to  sample,"  said 
Tony,  "I  can't  imagine  Spalding  being  content  with 


Like  a  Fairy  Story  67 

anything  second  rate — at  least  judging  by  his  taste 
in  wine  and  cigars."  He  paused.  "What  time 
would  you  like  breakfast  in  the  morning?" 

"Breakfast?"  she  repeated. 

' '  I  always  call  it  breakfast, ' '  explained  Tony.  ' '  It 
is  such  a  much  healthier  sounding  word  than  lunch. 
Suppose  I  send  the  car  round  for  you  about  eleven  ? 
Would  that  be  too  early?" 

She  shook  her  head,  smiling.  "I  expect  I  could 
manage  it,"  she  said.  "You  see  I  generally  get 
up  at  eight  o'clock.  " 

"We  could  have  it  a  little  earlier  if  you  like," 
remarked  Tony  unselfishly. 

"Oh,  no,  "  she  answered.  "I  shall  probably  enjoy 
lying  in  bed  to-morrow.  "  Then  with  a  little  laugh 
she  added:  "But  surely  I  can  walk  round.  It's 
quite  a  short  distance  isn't  it,  and  all  across  the  nice 
Heath?" 

"Just  as  you  like,"  said  Tony.  "I  shall  send 
the  car  any  way.  The  morning  air  is  so  good  for 
Jennings. " 

As  he  spoke  there  was  a  sound  of  footsteps  on  the 
stairs,  and  a  moment  later  Spalding  re-entered  the 
room. 

"My  wife  asks  me  to  say,  sir,  that  she  will  be 
very  pleased  to  make  the  young  lady  as  comfort- 
able as  possible.  She  is  coming  downstairs  her- 
self as  soon  as  we  have  withdrawn.  Owing  to 
the  lateness  of  the  hour  she  is  slightly — h'm — 
en  deshabille. " 

"We  will  retire  in  good  order,  "  said  Tony  gravely. 


68  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Then  as  Spalding  tactfully  left  the  room  he  turned  to 
Isabel. 

"Good-night,  Isabel,"  he  said.  "Sleep  peace- 
fully, and  don't  dream  that  you  are  being  chased 
by  yellow-faced  strangers. " 

She  gave  him  her  little  slim  cool  hand,  and  he 
raised  it  lightly  to  his  lips. 

"Good-night,"  she  answered,  "and  thank  you, 
thank  you  again  so  much."  Then  she  paused. 
"It's  just  like  a  fairy  story,  isn't  it?"  she  added. 

"Just, "  said  Tony  with  enthusiasm. 


CHAPTER  V 

THE    LENIENCY    OF   JUSTICE 

As  the  clock  above  the  mantelpiece  struck  eleven> 
Guy  Oliver  wiped  his  pen  and  laid  it  carefully  down 
in  front  of  him.  He  was  sitting  at  a  roll-top  desk  in 
his  office — a  room  of  severely  business-like  aspect, 
chiefly  furnished  with  maps  and  filing  cabinets. 

With  that  systematic  deliberation  that  marked  all 
his  movements  he  extracted  a  document  from  the 
pigeon-hole  in  front  of  him  and  rising  to  his  feet 
walked  across  to  the  door.  In  the  passage  outside 
a  neatly  dressed  housemaid  was  engaged  in  the  task 
of  polishing  the  banisters. 

"Do  you  know  if  Sir  Antony  is  up  yet,  Mary  ? "  he 
inquired. 

"He  has  been  up  some  little  time,  sir, "  answered 
the  girl.  "I  believe  you  will  find  him  in  the  study. 
I  heard  him  telling  Mr.  Spalding  to  lay  breakfast 
in  there,  instead  of  in  the  dining-room.  " 

With  a  look  of  mild  surprise  upon  his  face,  Guy 
pursued  his  way  downstairs.  He  crossed  the  hall, 
and  opening  the  door  of  the  study  remained  for  a 
moment  on  the  threshold,  contemplating  the  scene 
in  front  of  him. 

69 


70  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

A  black  oak  gate-legged  table,  gleaming  with 
flowers,  fruit,  and  silver,  stood  out  attractively  in  the 
centre  of  the  room,  while  the  spring  sunshine,  stream- 
ing in  through  the  open  French  window,  bathed  every- 
thing in  its  warm,  inspiriting  rays.  Tony  himself 
looking  delightfully  cool  and  serene  in  a  perfectly 
cut  grey  morning  suit,  was  lounging  on  the  broad 
window-seat  gazing  out  into  the  garden. 

He  turned  round  at  Guy's  entrance. 

"Hullo,  old  chap!"  he  observed  pleasantly:  "just 
out  of  bed?" 

Guy  took  no  notice  of  this  irreverent  question. 
He  advanced  to  the  table,  and  adjusting  his  pince- 
nez,  carefully  inspected  its  contents. 

"If  you  will  forgive  my  saying  so,  Tony,"  he 
remarked,  "you  are  becoming  shamelessly  greedy. 
Where  on  earth  did  you  get  these  peaches  and  hot- 
house grapes  from  ? " 

"I  sent  Jennings  into  Harrod's  for  them,"  an- 
swered Tony.  "A  little  morning  exercise  is  good  for 
him,  and  I  have  a  friend  coming  to  breakfast." 

"Oh!"  said  Guy.     "Any  one  I  know?" 

Tony  shook  his  head.  ' '  I  don't  think  so.  In  fact 
we  only  became  acquainted  ourselves  last  night." 

"One  of  your  curious  sporting  acquaintances,  I 
suppose?"  observed  Guy  with  a  faint  touch  of 
disapproval. 

Tony  smiled  pensively.  "Yes,"  he  said,  "on  the 
whole  I  think  we  may  pass  the  description.  If  you 
will  wait  and  have  breakfast  with  us  I  shall  be 
charmed  to  introduce  you.  " 


The  Leniency  of  Justice  71 

"Thanks  very  much,"  said  Guy,  "but  I  had  my 
breakfast  a  couple  of  hours  ago.  Besides  I  am 
rather  busy  this  morning.  "  He  produced  the  paper 
which  he  had  brought  down  from  the  office.  "I 
wanted  to  catch  you  before  you  went  out,  to  get 
you  to  sign  this.  It's  the  agreement  with  Marshall 
I  spoke  to  you  about  on  Thursday.  You  had 
better  look  it  through.  " 

Tony  pulled  a  fountain  pen  out  of  his  inside  pocket. 
"My  dear  Guy!"  he  said.  "I  should  never  dream 
of  reading  a  document  that  you  had  passed  as  ac- 
curate.    It  would  be  a  reflection  on  your  sobriety. " 

He  scribbled  his  name  in  the  appointed  place  and 
handed  the  paper  back  to  his  cousin. 

"I  see  in  the  Daily  Mail  this  morning  that  Bugg 
won  his  fight  all  right, ' '  remarked  the  latter.  ' '  What 
time  did  you  get  back?" 

"/  got  back  at  a  most  respectable  hour,"  .said 
Tony.  "I  am  sorry  to  sav  I  managed  to  lose 
Bugg." 

"Lose  him!"  echoed  Guy. 

"Yes,"  said  Tony.  "You  know  how  careless  I 
am.     I " 

He  was  interrupted  by  a  knock  at  the  door. 

"Come  in,  "  he  called  out. 

The  door  opened  and  Spalding  advanced  with 
dignity  across  the  threshold. 

"Miss  Francis,  "  he  announced. 

There  was  a  moment's  pause  and  then,  looking 
slightly  embarrassed  but  most  refreshingly  beautiful, 
Isabel  appeared  in  the  doorway. 


72  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Tony  who  had  jumped  to  his  feet  came  forward 
and  took  her  hand. 

' '  Good -morning,  Isabel, ' '  he  said.  ' '  How  wonder- 
fully punctual  you  are!  You  must  have  been  very 
well  brought  up. " 

She  shook  her  head,  smiling  shyly.  "I  am  afraid 
it  is  only  because  I  am  hungry,"  she  said.  "As  a 
rule  I  am  late  for  everything. " 

"We  ought  to  get  along  together  famously," 
replied  Tony.  "Let's  see,  you  don't  know  Guy  yet, 
do  you?  Guy,  let  me  introduce  you  to  Isabel.  I 
have  already  acquainted  her  with  some  of  your 
better  and  brighter  qualities.  " 

Guy,  whose  face  was  an  interesting  study  in 
blended  emotions,  made  a  little  stiff  bow. 

* '  I  have  been  trying  to  persuade  him  to  stay  and 
have  breakfast  with  us,"  proceeded  Tony  mis- 
chievously, "but  he  says  he  doesn't  care  about  my 
curious  sporting  friends. " 

With  a  spasmodic  gesture  Guy  took  a  step  forward. 
"Really  I — I  protest,"  he  stammered.  "You 
mustn't  listen  to  him,  Miss  Francis.  It  is  a  gross 
misrepresentation. " 

"I  am  quite  sure  you  wouldn't  say  anything 
disagreeable,  Mr. — Mr.  Guy, "  replied  Isabel  con- 
solingly.    "You  have  much  too  kind  a  face." 

Guy  crimsoned  vividly,  and  with  a  gentle  chuckle 
Tony  relieved  Isabel  of  her  coat. 

"Don't  you  be  deceived,"  he  said.  "You  should 
hear  the  brutal  way  he  addresses  my  tenants  when 
they  want  something  done  to  their  houses. " 


The  Leniency  of  Justice  73 

"Oh,  do  shut  up,  Tony,"  remonstrated  Guy. 

"Aren't  you  really  going  to  stay  to  breakfast?" 
asked  Isabel,  inspecting  the  table.  "There  seems 
to  be  such  a  lot  for  two. " 

"I — I  am  afraid  I  can't,"  said  Guy  with  some 
embarrassment.  "I  should  be  delighted  to,  but — 
I  have  some  work  I  must  get  done. "  He  turned  to 
Tony.  "By  the  way,  there  was  a  note  from  Henry 
this  morning  saying  that  if  you  were  going  to  be  at 
home  to-night  he  would  like  to  come  to  dinner.  He 
wants  me  to  ring  him  up  and  let  him  know, " 

"I  suppose  we  may  as  well  get  it  over,  "  said  Tony 
sadly.  "  If  I  say  no  he  will  only  want  me  to  dine  at 
Rutland  Gate,  and  that  would  be  worse  still.  The 
last  time  I  went  I  was  put  next  to  a  woman  who  ate 
nothing  but  beans  and  drank  hot  water  and  lemon. 
It  made  me  feel  quite  faint.  " 

"Very  well, "  said  Guy.  "I  will  tell  him  to  come 
along  at  eight.  Don't  go  out  and  forget  all  about 
it." 

He  made  another  stiff  little  bow  to  Isabel,  and 
walking  across  to  the  door,  took  his  departure. 

"That's  Guy,"  said  Tony.  "What  do  you 
think  of  him?" 

"I  think  he's  rather  nice,"  said  Isabel  thought- 
fully. "He  is  just  a  wee  bit  serious,  of  course,  but 
then  you  want  that  in  a  secretary,  don't  you?" 

Tony  nodded.  "Guy  is  wonderful,"  he  began. 
"Since  he  came  to  live  with  me " 

He  was  interrupted  by  the  reappearance  of  Spald- 
ing, who  entered  the  room  carrying  a  tray  full  of 


74  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

silver  dishes  which  sent  up  various  appetizing  odours 
into  the  morning  air. 

Isabel  contemplated  the  feast  with  frank  interest. 

"What  a  good  breakfast!"  she  observed.  "Do 
you  always  have  a  breakfast  like  this?" 

"Always,"  replied  Tony  firmly.  "I  find  my 
constitution  requires  it. " 

He  walked  across  to  the  sideboard,  where  Spalding 
had  set  out  the  dishes,  and  lifting  up  their  covers  in 
turn  announced  the  results  to  Isabel. 

She  selected  mushroom  omelette  as  a  starting 
point,  and  after  helping  himself  lightly  to  the  same 
delicacy,  Tony  sat  down  alongside  of  her  at  the  gate- 
legged table. 

"Well,"  he  said,  "and  what's  the  report?  Has 
Mrs.  Spalding  made  you  comfortable?" 

Isabel  nodded  gratefully.  "Yes,"  she  said;  "she 
has  been  so  pleasant  and  kind.  She  didn't  seem  to 
mind  in  the  least  my  coming  in  like  that  in  the  middle 
of  the  night,  and  this  morning  she  had  a  cup  of  tea 
and  a  lovely  hot  bath  all  ready  for  me  when  I  woke 
up."  She  paused.  "I  don't  know  what  I  should 
have  done  last  night  if  it  hadn't  been  for  you, "  she 
added  with  a  sudden  slight  return  to  her  former 
shyness. 

"Oh,  you  would  have  been  all  right,"  said  Tony 
cheerfully.  "Somebody  else  would  have  come  along 
and  knocked  those  interfering  gentlemen  down  for 
you.  London  is  full  of  obliging  strangers.  We  just 
had  the  good  luck  to  be  the  first — that  was  all. " 

"It  was  not  all,"   returned   Isabel  with  spirit. 


The  Leniency  of  Justice  75 

"There  was  the  supper,  and  finding  me  somewhere  to 
go  to,  and  asking  me  to  breakfast  this  morning,  and 
— and — oh,  being  so  nice  about  everything."  She 
hesitated.  ' '  Your  friend — the  one  who  fought  for  us 
so  bravely — I  hope  he  was  not  hurt  ? " 

Tony  shook  his  head.  ' '  You  couldn't  hurt  Bugg,  " 
he  said,  "except  with  a  pickaxe." 

"I  hope  you  told  him  how  grateful  I  was  to  him, " 
she  added. 

"I  haven't  had  the  chance  yet,"  replied  Tony. 
"  He  hasn't  come  home.  " 

A  sudden  look  of  concern  flashed  into  Isabel's 
amber  eyes.  "Oh!"  she  exclaimed,  "perhaps  he  is 
hurt  after  all.     Perhaps  he  is  in  a  hospital ! " 

"I  should  think  it  much  more  likely  that  he's  in  a 
police  station,  "  observed  Tony.  "I  can't  think  why 
he  hasn't  rung  up  though,  unless  it's  because  he  is 
anxious  to  keep  my  name  out  of  it.  For  a  prize- 
fighter Bugg  has  the  most  wonderfully  delicate 
feelings. " 

"A  prize-fighter!"  echoed  Isabel.  "Is  he  a  prize- 
fighter like — like — like  Carpentier  ? " 

"Something  like  him,  "  said  Tony;  "especially  the 
way  he  covers  up."  He  paused.  "Bugg  is  really 
quite  a  famous  person  in  his  way  you  know.  He  is 
practically  the  welter-weight  champion  of  England. 
He  only  stays  on  here  and  works  for  me  because  it 
amuses  him.  I  meant  to  explain  last  night,  but  there 
were  so  many  other  things  to  talk  about. " 

"I  see, "  said  Isabel  slowly.  "And  you  were  just 
walking  together?" 


76  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"  Well,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  Bugg  had  been  box- 
ing at  the  Cosmopolitan  Club.  It  was  over  rather 
earlier  than  we  expected,  and  I  was  taking  him  along 
to  give  him  some  supper.  That's  how  we  happened 
to  be  in  Long  Acre.  " 

Isabel  nodded.  "I  understand.  It  is  all  plain 
now.  Last  night  I  was  frightened  and  everything 
seemed  so  confused. " 

"I  don't  wonder  at  it,  "  said  Tony  sympathetically. 
"Unless  one's  led  a  very  strenuous  life  it  must  be 
horribly  confusing  to  be  suddenly  held  up  by  a  couple 
of  dagoes  in  Long  Acre,  and  then  rescued  by  a  future 
champion  of  England. " 

There  was  a  long  pause. 

"I — I  feel  somehow  that  I  ought  to  explain," 
began  Isabel  uncomfortably.  "You  have  been  so 
nice  about  not  asking  any  questions,  but  of  course 
you  must  be  wondering  who  I  am,  and — and  how 
things  came  to  be  like  this. " 

"Only  mildly  and  pleasantly,"  said  Tony.  "I 
never  allow  my  curiosity  to  get  painful. " 

Isabel  set  down  her  cup.  "I  would  tell  you  if  I 
could,"  she  said  rather  desperately,  "but  there  are 
reasons  why  I  mustn't.  " 

Tony's  face  brightened  at  once.  "How  nice!"  he 
observed.  ' '  I  love  mystery,  and  so  few  people  have 
any  of  it  about  them  nowadays — especially  in 
Hampstead. " 

"I  hate  it,"  exclaimed  Isabel  with  what  seemed 
unnecessary  bitterness:  "I  have  had  nothing  else 
but  mystery  and  secrets  all  my  life.     Oh,  if  you  only 


The  Leniency  of  Justice  ']'] 

knew  how  lovely  it  was  just  to  be  oneself  for  once — 
to  be  able  to  do  and  say  exactly  what  one  likes — " 
She  paused  and  took  a  long,  deep  breath.  "I  can't 
go  back  again,  "  she  added.  "I — I  believe  I  should 
kill  myself  if  I  did. " 

"Of  course  you  can't  go  back,  "  said  Tony.  "  We 
settled  all  that  last  night.  You  are  going  to  stay  on 
with  Mrs.  Spalding  and  adopt  me  and  Guy  as  cous- 
ins. I  don't  think  there  is  any  need  to  let  Henry  in 
just  at  present.  One  would  want  a  bit  of  practice 
before  adopting  Henry. " 

Isabel  looked  across  at  him  with  that  frank,  almost 
childish  smile  of  hers,  which  contrasted  so  delight- 
fully with  the  little  touch  of  dignity  in  her  manner. 

"I  should  love  to  have  some  nice  relations, "  she 
said.     "All  mine  are  perfectly  horrid.  " 

"And  all  mine,"  observed  Tony,  "are  horribly 
perfect.  I  don't  know  which  is  the  more  trying  of 
the  two." 

There  was  a  moment's  pause,  and  then,  as  if  a 
sudden  thought  had  struck  her,  Isabel  reached  across 
to  the  adjoining  chair,  and  unhooked  the  little  silver 
chain-bag  which  she  had  brought  in  with  her. 

"Oh,"  she  said,  "before  I  forget  I  wanted  to  ask 
you  if  you  would  be  so  kind  as  to  do  something  for 
me.  I  hate  bothering  you,  but  you  see  I  don't  know 
any  one  else,  and  I'm  so  ignorant  about  this  kind  of 
thing.  "  She  took  out  a  couple  of  rings  and  a  brooch 
and  pushed  them  across  the  table.  "It's  to  sell 
them,"  she  added.  "I — I  think  they  ought  to  be 
worth  something. " 


78  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Tony  picked  up  the  brooch.  It  was  a  beautiful 
piece  of  work — a  large  single  and  absolutely  flawless 
emerald,  delicately  set  in  gold.  Without  being  an 
expert  in  such  matters  he  knew  enough  of  precious 
stones  to  realize  that  it  was  of  considerable  value. 

"I  should  think  this  would  do  to  begin  with," 
he  said, ' '  unless  you  are  going  to  be  very  extravagant. 
It  ought  to  bring  in  bread  and  butter  for  the  rest  of 
your  life- time. " 

Isabel's  face  lighted  up.  "Will  it  really!"  she 
exclaimed.  "  How  lovely.  I  never  thought  it  would 
be  worth  as  much  as  that ! ' ' 

Tony  turned  his  attention  to  the  rings,  which  in 
their  way  were  every  bit  as  good  as  the  brooch.  One 
was  the  half -hoop  of  sapphires  and  diamonds  which 
he  had  noticed  on  the  previous  evening,  the  other 
consisted  of  three  very  fine  rubies,  mounted  in  a 
curious,  old-fashioned  setting  that  seemed  to  be  of 
Eastern  origin. 

He  examined  them  both  with  much  interest  and 
then  handed  them  back  to  Isabel. 

"You  must  keep  them,"  he  said.  "They  are 
much  too  beautiful  to  sell,  and  besides,  there  is  no 
need  to  sell  them.  The  brooch  will  bring  you  in 
quite  a  lot  of  money,  and  you  can  always  get  credit 
from  the  milkman  as  long  as  you  wear  rubies  and 
diamonds." 

Isabel  smiled,  and  slipping  on  the  two  rings  held 
them  out  for  Tony's  inspection. 

' '  I  am  so  glad, ' '  she  said  happily.  ' '  I  should  hate 
to  have  sold  them  really.     You  see  they  belonged — ' ' 


The  Leniency  of  Justice  79 

She  again  came  to  an  abrupt  and  rather  confused 
halt.  "They  belonged  to  my  great-grandmother," 
she  finished  weakly. 

"Indeed,"  said  Tony  in  a  perfectly  grave  voice. 
"She  must  have  had  charming  hands.  " 

There  was  a  light  tap  at  the  door,  and  after  a 
moment's  delay  the  discreet  figure  of  Spalding  again 
appeared  on  the  threshold. 

"I  beg  pardon.  Sir  Antony,"  he  observed,  "but 
Bugg  has  just  returned.  I  thought  you  might  wish 
to  be  informed. " 

Tony  pushed  back  his  chair.  "  What  has  he 
been  doing  with  himself?"  he  asked. 

"I  fancy,  sir,"  returned  Spalding  impassively, 
"that  he  has  been  spending  the  night  in  the  Bow 
Street  police  station.  " 

"Oh!"  exclaimed  Isabel  in  a  horrified  voice. 

"Really!"  said  Tony.  "  How  exciting!"  He 
turned  to  Isabel.     "Shall  we  have  him  up?" 

She  nodded  eagerly. 

"Send  him  along,  Spalding,"  continued  Tony. 
"  He  needn't  trouble  about  making  himself  beautiful. 
Tell  him  I  should  like  to  see  him  at  once.  " 

The  butler  withdrew,  and  a  few  moments  later 
Bugg  appeared  in  the  doorway.  He  saluted  Tony 
with  a  cheerful  grin,  and  then,  as  he  caught  sight  of 
Isabel,  a  sudden  embarrassment  seemed  to  descend 
upon  his  spirit.  He  coughed  apologetically,  lowered 
his  eyes,  and  shuffled  slightly  with  one  foot. 

"Good-morning,  Bugg,"  said  Tony.  "Come  and 
sit  down. " 


8o  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Bugg  advanced  cautiously  to  the  nearest  chair  and 
seated  himself  on  the  extreme  edge. 

"Mornin',  sir,"  he  observed.  Then,  throwing  a 
nervous  glance  at  Isabel,  he  added  hoarsely! 
**  Pleased  to  see  yer,  Miss.  " 

' '  I  am  very  pleased  to  see  you,  "  said  Isabel  a  little 
shyly.  ' '  I  want  to  thank  you  for  what  you  did  last 
night.     I  am  so  sorry  they  took  you  to  prison.  " 

Bugg  stared  hard  at  the  carpet.  ' '  That's  all  right, 
Miss,  "  he  muttered.  "  Don't  you  worry  abaht  that, 
Miss." 

Tony  offered  Isabel  a  cigarette,  and  then  lit  one 
himself. 

"You  were  magnificent,  Bugg,  "  he  said.  "Tell  us 
what  happened  after  we  left.  " 

Bugg  coughed  again.  "  Well,  sir,  'twas  this  wy, 
sir.  Seein'  as  you  and  the  young  laidy  was  best 
aht  of  it,  I  jest  keeps  them  two  Daigoes  busy  like 
withaht  puttin'  'em  through  it.  It  didn't  seem  to  me 
as  no  one  was  goin'  to  taike  the  trouble  to  foller  you 
when  'e  could  be  standin'  there  watchin'  a  scrap  fur 
nothin'." 

"I  hope  you  didn't  get  hurt,  "said  Isabel,  who,  with 
a  slightly  bewildered  expression,  had  been  trying  to 
follow  this  narrative. 

Bugg  shook  his  head.  "  Not  me,  Miss.  It  was 
jest  a  'alf  'oliday  fur  me  till  they  starts  usin'  their 
feet,  and  then  I  'anded  'em  a  couple  of  flaps  in  the 
jaw  quick,  an'  that  steadied  'em.  Not  as  I  think  they 
meant  no  'arm,  Miss.  There's  parts  o'  the  world 
where  they  don't  know  no  better. 


The  Leniency  of  Justice  8i 

"Yours  is  a  generous  heart,  Bugg, "  said  Tony. 
"  What  happened  next?" 

"The  rozzers  come  then,  sir — a  pair  of  'em,  sir. 
They  busts  in  through  the  crowd  hke  tigers,  and 
afore  ye  could  wink,  one  of  'em  grabs  onter  me,  and 
the  other  cops  'old  of  the  tall  Daigo. " 

"And  the  second  man — the  one  with  the  crooked 
eyes?"  asked  Isabel  quickly.  "  What  happened  to 
him?" 

"Well,  I  don't  rightly  know.  Miss,"  said  Bugg 
apologetically.  "Yer  see,  'e  weren't  there  in  a 
manner  o'  speakin'.  'E'd  gom  across  the  street 
when  I  give  'im  that  shove  in  the  jaw,  an  'e  'adn't 
'ad  time  to  come  back.  I  think  the  coppers  missed 
im. 

"But  they  stuck  to  you  two  all  right?"  said  Tony. 

Bugg  nodded  his  head.  "Yus,  sir,  we  all  goes 
orf  to  the  staition  together — me  an'  the  cops  an'  the 
Daigo  an'  the  'ole  bloomin'  street  arter  us.  It 
weren't  'alf  a  picnic,  sir,  I  can  tell  yer.  Well,  w'en 
we  gets  to  the  staition,  I  sees  the  inspector — 'im  wot 
taikes  the  charge — lookin'  partikler  'ard  at  me,  but 
'e  don't  sa3^  nothin',  'cept  to  ask  me  my  naime  and 
address. 

"'  'Erbert  Johnson  of  'Igh  Street,  Keington,'  says 
I.     It  was  the  fust  thing  as  comes  into   my  'ead. 

"'An'  you?'  says  'e,  tumin'  to  the  Daigo. 

'"  My  naime  is  Smith. '  says  the  Daigo  in  'is  funny 
foreign  wy  o'  speakin'. 

'"It's  a  good  naime, '  says  the  inspector,  writin'  it 
dahn.      "Wot's  all  this  trouble  abaht?' 

6 


82  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

'"It  was  a  misunderstandin','  says  the  Daigo 
very  'aughty  like.  'I  declines  to  answer  any  further 
questions. ' 

"'You  got  anything  to  sy,  'Erbert  Johnson,' 
says  'e  to  me. 

"'I  agree  with  the  gen'leman  wot's  just  spoke, 
sir, '  says  I. 

"'Very  well,'  says  'e.  'This  is  a  matter  fur  'is 
Honour,  this  is.  You'll  'ave  to  stop  'ere  the  night, 
the  pair  of  ye,  unless  ye've  got  some  kind  friends 
as'U  come  along  an'  bail  yer  aht. ' 

' '  'E  looks  at  us  both,  but  the  Daigo  don't  sy  nothin' 
and  I  thinks  to  meself  the  more  privit  we  keeps  this 
'ere  little  mixup  the  better  fur  all  parties  concerned. 
So  I  lays  low  too,  an'  orf  we  goes  to  the  cells,  saime  as 
a  couple  o'  ord'nary  drunks  and  disorderlies.  " 

Bugg  paused  for  a  moment,  and  a  reminiscent 
grin  spread  slowly  across  his  face. 

"It's  a  good  story,"  said  Tony  encouragingly. 
"Go  on  with  it.  " 

"Well,  sir,  I  'adn't  bin  in  the  cell  very  long  w'en 
the  door  opens  and  who  should  come  in  but  the 
inspector  'isself.  'E  looks  me  up  an'  dahn  with  a 
kinder  twinkle  in  'is  eye,  an'  then  'e  says,  '  'Erbert 
Johnson, '  'e  says,  'w'y  the  'ell  didn't  yer  dot  'im  one 
o'  them  left  'ooks  o'  yours,  and  then  we  shouldn't 
'ave  'ad  all  this  trouble?'  Well,  that  done  it,  sir! 
I  twigs  at  once  'e'd  spotted  who  I  was,  and  seein'  'e 
meant  ter  be  friendly  like  I  ups  and  tells  'im  just 
exactly  'ow  it  'ad  all  come  abaht.  'Don't  worry,* 
says  'e  ter  me;  'your  blue-chinned  pal  don't  want  a 


The  Leniency  of  Justice  83 

fuss  no  more'n  you  do.  'E's  jest  bin  bribin'  and 
corruptin'  o'  me  to  run  the  caise  through  as  a  ord'- 
nary  street  quarrel,  an'  seein'  as  we're  told  ter  be 
kind  to  straingers,  per'aps  I  might  see  my  wy  ter 
do  it.'  Then  'e  puts  'is  'and  on  my  shoulder.  'As 
fur  you,  'Erbert  Johnson, '  'e  says,  'you  gotter  come 
along  with  me  an'  be  introjooced  to  some  o'  the- boys. 
We  does  a  bit  o'  scrappin'  'ere  in  our  spare  time,  an' 
'tain't  often  we  'as  the  honour  of  entertaining  a 
future  champion  of  England.' 

"  With  that,  sir,  'e  taikes  me  upstairs  to  the 
inspector's  room,  where  there  was  'alf  a  dozen  cops 
sittin'  arahnd  smokin'  and  drinkin'  saime  as  if  it  was  a 
pub  or  a  privit  drorin'  room.  Talk  o'  sports,  sir — 
w'y  Gawd  love  us  I  might  a  bin  the  King  of  England 
the  wy  they  treated  me.  'Tell  us  abaht  the  fight, 
Tiger,'  they  says,  and  if 'you'd  seen  me  sittin' 
there,  sir,  with  a  large  Bass  in  one  'and  and  a  four- 
penny  stinker  in  the  other  and  all  them  cops  'angin' 
on  my  words,  ye'd  'ave  laughed  fit  ter  bust  yerself, 
sir." 

Tony  nodded  his  head.  ' '  I  have  always  suspected 
that  the  police  led  a  double  life, "  he  said. 

"They're  all  right,  sir,  "  explained  Bugg  earnestly, 
"on'y  they  got  their  livin'  to  get,  saime  as  other  folks. 
They  treated  me  proper,  they  did.  Gimme  a  'addick 
fur  breakfast  next  momin',  and  w'en  the  caise  comes 
on  they  'as  it  all  arrainged  fur  us  right  an'  simple  as 
anything.  The  copper  as  took  us  'e  tells  'is  Httle  bit, 
saime  as  wot  'e'd  fixed  up  with  the  inspector,  an' 
then  the  Beak — 'ole  Sir  'Grace  Samuel  it  was — 'e 


84  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

puts  on  'is  glasses  and  blinks  rahnd  at  the  pair  of  us. 
'Either  o'  the  prisoners  any  observations  to  hoffer?' 
*e  says.  'E  waits  'alf  a  tick,  an'  then  as  neither  of  us 
says  nothin',  'e  scratches  'is  'ead  and  grunts  aht, 
'seven-and-sixpence  an'  costs,  an'  'urry  up  with  the 
nex'  caise. '" 

Bugg  stopped,  and  wiping  his  forehead  with  his 
coat  sleeve  looked  from  Tony  to  Isabel  and  then  back 
again  at  his  patron. 

"An'  that's  abaht  all,  sir,  "  he  added.  "We  forks 
out  the  rhino,  and  then  I  gets  a  taxi-cab  and  tells  the 
bloke  to  bung  along  'ere  as  quick  as  'e  can  shift.  "  He 
hesitated  for  a  moment.  "I  'ope  I  done  the  right 
thing,  sir?"  he  finished  anxiously. 

There  was  a  long  pause. 

"You  always  do  the  right  thing,  Bugg,  "  said  Tony, 
at  last.     ' '  It's  almost  a  disease  with  you.  " 

He  pushed  back  his  chair  and  for  a  little  while 
remained  gazing  thoughtfully  at  the  marmalade  pot. 

"Bugg, "  he  said;  "have  you  any  special  engage- 
ments the  next  few  days?" 

"  Not  as  I  knows  on,  sir,  "replied  Tiger,  innocently, 

Tony  nodded  his  head.     "Good,"  he  observed, 
and  without  further  comment  he  renewed  his  con- 
templation of  the  breakfast  table. 

"There's  the  matter  o'  the  stakes,  sir,  "  Bugg  ven- 
tured to  remind  him.  ' '  'Alf-past  twelve,  sir,  was  the 
time  Dr.  Donaldson  said  they'd  be  payin'  over.  " 

Tony  again  nodded.  "That  will  be  all  right, 
Bugg,  "  he  said.  ' '  I  will  go  down  to  the  Club  myself 
and  collect  the  royal  booty.     I  only  hope  da  Freitas 


The  Leniency  of  Justice  85 

will  turn  up  personally.     It  would  give  me  great 
pleasure  to  watch  him  writing  out  the  cheque." 

He  looked  across  smilingly  towards  Isabel,  and  saw 
to  his  amazement  that  she  had  suddenly  gone  as 
white  as  a  sheet. 


CHAPTER  VI 

PRICING  AN   HEIRLOOM 

Tony  was  so  surprised  that  for  a  moment  he 
remained  just  as  he  was.  Then  suddenly  recovering 
himself  he  turned  back  to  Bugg. 

"You  had  better  go  along  and  find  yourself  some- 
thing to  eat,  'Tiger,' "  he  said.  "That  haddock  must 
be  getting  a  little  historical  by  now." 

Bugg  rose  to  his  feet  with  a  grin.  "I  could  shift  a 
bit,  sir,"  he  observed,  "an'  that  ain't  'alf  a  fact," 

"Tell  the  cook  what  you'd  like,"  said  Tony. 
"After  last  night  she  will  do  anything  for  you.  "  He 
paused.  "I  want  to  see  you  again  before  I  go  out, " 
he  added. 

Bugg  touched  his  forehead,  and  after  making  a 
respectful  obeisance  to  Isabel  withdrew  from  the 
room.  Tony  followed  him  to  the  door,  and  then  clos- 
ing it  after  him,  turned  back  leisurely  towards  the 
table.  Though  she  still  looked  a  little  pale  and 
upset,  the  interval  had  obviously  done  Isabel  good. 

"Is  there  anything  the  matter?"  asked  Tony 
kindly. 

She  shook  her  head,  with  a  plucky  if  rather  unsuc- 
cessful attempt  at  a  smile.     "No,"  she  said,  "I — I 

86 


Pricing  an  Heirloom  87 

didn't  feel  very  well  for  a  moment.  It's  nothing — 
absolutely  nothing."  She  paused,  her  lower  lip 
caught  nervously  between  her  small  white  teeth, 
"I  don't  think  I  ought  to  bother  you  any  more," 
she  added  with  a  kind  of  forced  calmness.  "I 
think  perhaps  it  would  be  best  after  all  if  I — if  I 
found  somewhere  else  to  go  to. " 

Tony  made  a  gesture  of  dissent.  "It  can't  be 
done,"  he  said  gravely.  "You  see  you  are  my 
lodger  now,  and  you  have  got  to  give  me  a  full  week's 
notice."  Then  with  a  sudden  change  he  went  on: 
"You  mustn't  be  selfish  you  know,  Isabel.  You 
can't  float  into  people's  lives  out  of  Long  Acre  with 
all  sorts  of  delightful  suggestions  of  romance  and 
mystery  about  you,  and  then  simply  disappear  again 
the  next  morning.  It's  not  playing  the  game.  I 
should  feel  like  a  man  who  had  been  turned  out  of  a 
theatre  at  the  end  of  the  first  act.  " 

"You  don't  understand,"  said  Isabel  almost  in  a 
whisper. 

"I  know  I  don't,  "  said  Tony  cheerfully.  "That's 
what's  so  charming  about  it."  He  paused.  "Sup- 
pose we  have  a  week's  trial  at  all  events?"  he  sug- 
gested. "If  it  turns  out  a  failure  it  will  be  just  as 
easy  for  you  to  disappear  then.  You  know  both 
Guy  and  I  improve  on  acquaintance — really.  You 
musn't  judge  us  by  what  we  are  like  at  breakfast. 
We  get  much  more  bright  and  pleasant  as  the  day 
wears  on. " 

In  spite  of  herself  Isabel  laughed.  "It  isn't  that  I 
don't  want  to  stay,  "  she  said.     "I — I  like  you  both 


S8  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

very  much. "  She  hesitated  and  looked  nervously 
round  the  room  as  if  seeking  for  inspiration.  "It's 
what  might  happen,"  she  added.  "I  can't  explain, 
but  I  might  be  the  cause  of  getting  you  into  trouble 
or — or  even  danger. ' ' 

"That's  all  right,"  said  Tony.  "I  like  danger, 
and  Guy  simply  adores  trouble.  He  takes  it  with 
everything. " 

Isabel  made  a  faint  gesture  of  helplessness.  ' '  Oh, ' ' 
she  said.  "I  can't  go  on  arguing.  You  are  so 
obstinate.     But  I  have  warned  you,  haven't  I  ? " 

Tony  nodded.  ' '  If  you  like  to  call  it  a  warning, ' '  he 
said.  ' '  I  look  on  it  more  as  a  promise.  If  you  knew 
how  dull  Hampstead  was  you  would  understand  our 
morbid  thirst  for  a  little  unhealthy  excitement.  " 

"I  don't  think  I  should  find  Hampstead  dull," 
remarked  Isabel  a  shade  wistfully.  ' '  It  seems  to  me 
just  beautifully  peaceful.  I  think  I  should  like  to 
live  here  for  ever,  and  do  exactly  what  I  want  to,  and 
not  be  bothered  about  anything.  " 

"But  that's  precisely  what  I  am  suggesting,"  ob- 
served Tony. 

Isabel  smiled  again.  She  seemed  to  be  recovering 
her  spirits.  "I  should  have  to  get  some  clothes 
first,"  she  said.  "I  couldn't  live  here  for  ever  on 
the  contents  of  one  small  dressing-bag.  " 

"It  sounds  inadequate,"  agreed  Tony,  "but  I 
think  that's  a  difficulty  we  might  get  over.  I  was 
just  going  to  propose  that  you  should  take  the  car 
and  Mrs.  Spalding  this  afternoon,  and  go  and  do 
some  shopping. " 


Pricing  an  Heirloom  89 

Isabel's  eyes  sparkled.  "How  lovely!"  she  ex- 
claimed. Then  a  sudden  cloud  came  over  her  face. 
"But  I  forgot,  "  she  added,  "I  haven't  any  money — • 
not  until  you  have  sold  the  brooch  for  me. " 

"That  doesn't  matter,"  said  Tony.  "If  you  will 
let  me,  I  will  advance  you  fifty  pounds,  and  you  can 
pay  me  to-morrow  when  we  settle  up.  " 

Isabel  took  a  deep  breath.  "Oh,  you  are  kind," 
she  said.  Then  for  a  moment  she  paused,  her  fore- 
head knitted  as  though  some  unpleasant  thought  had 
suddenly  come  into  her  mind. 

"Anything  wrong?"  inquired  Tony. 

She  looked  round  again  with  the  same  half-nervous, 
half -hunted  expression  he  had  seen  before. 

"I  was  thinking,"  she  faltered.  "Those  two 
men.  I  wonder  if  there  is  any  chance  that  I  might 
meet  them  again.  I — I  know  it's  silly  to  be  fright- 
ened, but  somehow  or  other — "  She  broke  off  as  if 
hardly  knowing  how  to  finish  the  sentence. 

Tony  leaned  across  the  table  and  took  her  hand  in 
his. 

"Look  here,  Isabel,"  he  said,  "you  have  got  to 
forget  those  ridiculous  people.  Whoever  they  are 
it  is  quite  impossible  for  them  to  interfere  with  you 
again.  We  don't  allow  our  adopted  cousin  to  be 
frightened  by  anybody,  let  alone  a  couple  of  freaks 
out  of  a  comic  opera.  I  would  have  come  shopping 
with  you  myself  this  afternoon  if  I  hadn't  promised 
to  try  out  a  new  car  at  Brooklands.  As  it  is  I  am 
going  to  send  Bugg.  He  will  sit  in  front  with  Jen- 
nings, and  if  you  want  any  one  knocked  down  you 


90  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

have  only  to  mention  the  fact  and  he  will  do  it  for 
you  at  once. " 

Isabel  looked  across  at  him  gratefully.  "It's  just 
like  having  a  private  army  of  one's  own,  "  she  said. 

Tony  nodded  approvingly.  "That's  the  idea 
exactly.  We'll  call  ourselves  the  Isabel  Defence 
Force,  and  we'll  make  this  our  headquarters.  You 
are  really  quite  safe,  you  know,  with  Mrs.  Spalding, 
but  you  can  always  retreat  here  when  you  feel 
specially  nervous. "  He  patted  her  hand  encourag- 
ingly, and  sat  back  in  his  chair.  "Why  not  stay 
here  now,"  he  suggested,  "until  you  go  shopping? 
No  one  will  bother  you.  You  can  sit  in  the  garden 
and  read  a  book,  or  else  go  to  sleep  in  the  hammock. 
Spalding  will  get  you  some  lunch  when  you  feel  like 
it. 

"  Lunch !" echoed  Isabel,  opening  her  eyes.  "What, 
after  this?"  She  made  an  eloquent  little  gesture 
towards  the  sideboard. 

"Certainly,"  said  Tony.  "The  Hampstead  cli- 
mate is  very  deceptive.  One  requires  a  great  deal  of 
nourishment. " 

"Is  the  nourishment  compulsory?"  asked  Isabel. 
"If  not  I  think  I  should  like  to  stay." 

"You  shall  do  exactly  what  you  please  about 
everything,"  said  Tony.  "I  believe  in  complete 
freedom — at  all  events  for  the  upper  classes.  " 

He  got  up,  and  crossing  the  room  to  an  old  oak 
bureau  in  the  comer,  took  out  a  cheque  book  from 
the  drawer  and  filled  in  a  cheque  for  fifty  pounds. 
This  he  blotted  and  handed  to  Isabel. 


Pricing  an  Heirloom  91 

"Here's  a  piece  of  the  brooch  for  you  to  go  on 
with, "  he  said.  "Jennings  will  drive  you  to  the  bank 
first,  and  after  that  he  will  take  you  wherever  you 
want  to  go.  Don't  worry  about  keeping  him  waiting 
or  anything  of  that  sort.  He  is  quite  used  to  it, 
and  he  always  looks  unhappy  in  any  case." 

Isabel  daintily  folded  up  the  cheque  and  put  it 
away  in  her  bag.  Underneath  her  obvious  gratitude 
there  was  a  certain  air  of  naturalness  about  the  way 
she  accepted  Tony's  help  that  the  latter  found 
immensely  fascinating.  It  reminded  him  somehow 
of  a  child  or  a  princess  in  a  fairy  story. 

"I  shall  love  going  shopping  again,"  she  began 
frankly.  "It  will  seem  like — "  Once  more  she 
paused,  and  then  as  if  she  had  suddenly  changed 
her  mind  about  what  she  intended  to  say,  she  added  a 
little  confusedly:  "Oughtn't  I  to  let  Mrs.  Spalding 
know  that  I  want  her  to  come  with  me  this  after- 
noon?" 

Tony  shook  his  head.  "I  think  we  can  manage 
that  for  you,  "  he  said.  "The  house  is  full  of  strong, 
idle  men. "  He  got  up  from  the  desk.  ' '  Come  along 
and  let  me  introduce  you  to  the  library,  and  then  you 
can  find  yourself  something  to  read." 

He  led  the  way  across  the  hall,  and  as  he  opened 
the  door  of  the  apartment  in  question  Isabel  gave 
a  little  exclamation  of  surprise  and  pleasure. 

"Oh,  but  what  a  lovely  lot  of  books!"  she  said. 
"I  should  never  have  guessed  you  were  so  fond  of 
reading. " 

"I'm  not,"  said  Tony.     "I  never  read  anything 


92  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

except  Swinburne  and  The  Autocar.  Most  of  these 
belonged  to  my  grandfather.  Books  were  a  kind  of 
secret  vice  with  him.  He  collected  them  all  his  life 
and  left  them  to  me  in  his  will  because  he  was  quite 
sure  they  would  never  get  any  thumb-marks  on 
them. " 

Isabel  laughed  softly,  and  advancing  to  the  near- 
est case  began  to  examine  the  titles.  Tony  watched 
her  for  a  moment,  and  then  strolling  out  into  the 
hall,  made  his  way  back  to  the  morning-room,  where 
he  pressed  the  electric  bell. 

"Spalding,"  he  said,  when  that  incomparable  re- 
tainer answered  his  summons,  ' '  I  have  invited  Miss 
Francis  to  make  use  of  the  house  and  garden  as  much 
as  she  pleases.  When  I  am  not  in  I  shall  be  obliged 
if  you  will  see  that  she  has  everything  she  wants." 

Spalding's  face  remained  superbly  impassive. 
"Certainly,  Sir  Antony,"  he  repHed,  with  a  slight 
bow. 

"And  send  Bugg  here, "  added  Tony.  "I  want  to 
speak  to  him  before  I  go  out. " 

Spalding  withdrew,  and  after  a  moment  or  two 
had  elapsed,  "Tiger"  appeared  on  the  threshold 
hastily  swallowing  a  portion  of  his  interrupted  lunch. 

"Sorry  to  disturb  you,  Bugg,"  said  Tony,  "but  I 
want  you  to  do  something  for  me,  if  you  will. " 

"You  on'y  got  to  give  it  a  naime,  sir,"  observed 
the  Tiger  with  a  final  and  successful  gulp. 

"I  want  you  to  go  out  in  the  car  this  afternoon, 
as  well  as  Jennings.  Miss  Francis  is  going  to  do  some 
shopping,  and  it's  just  possible  that  the  two  gentle- 


Pricing  an  Heirloom  93 

men  who   were   annoying   her  last  night  might  try 
the  same  thing  again.  " 

Bugg's  grey-green  eyes  opened  in  honest  amaze- 
ment. "Wot!"  he  exclaimed.  "Ain't  they  'ad 
enough  yet?  Wy  if  I'd  knowed  that  I'd  'ave  laid 
fur  the  tall  one  and  give  'im  another  shove  in  the 
jaw  w'en  'e  come  outer  Court  this  mornin'. "  He 
paused  and  took  an  indignant  breath.  "Wot's 
their  gaime  any  way,  sir — chaisin'  a  young  lidy  like 
that?" 

Tony  shook  his  head.  "I  don't  know  exactly, 
Bugg,  "  he  said,  "but  whatever  it  is  I  mean  to  put  a 
stop  to  it.  It  is  our  duty  to  encourage  a  high  moral 
standard  amongst  the  inferior  races.  " 

"Cert'nly,  sir,"  observed  Bugg  approvingly.  "I 
always  says  with  a  German  or  a  Daigo  it's  a  caise  of 
'it  'im  fust  an'  argue  w4th  'im  arterwards.  You 
can't  maike  no  mistake  then,  sir." 

"It  seems  a  good  working  principle,"  admitted 
Tony.  "Still  there  are  occasions  in  life  when 
strategy — you  know  what  strategy  is,  Bugg? " 

The  other  scratched  his  head.  "Somethin'  like 
gettin'  a  bloke  to  lead  w'en  'e  don't  want  to,  sir,  "  he 
hazarded. 

"You  have  the  idea,"  said  Tony.  "Well,  as  I 
was  about  to  observe,  there  are  occasions  in  life  when 
strategy  is  invaluable.  I  am  inclined  to  think  that 
this  is  one  of  them.  " 

Bugg  eyed  him  with  questioning  interest.  "Meanin' 
to  sye,  sir  ? " 

"Meaning  to  say,"  added  Tony,  "that  I  should 


94  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

rather  like  to  find  out  who  these  gentlemen  are  who 
are  worrying  Miss  Francis.  If  we  knew  their  names 
we  might  be  able  to  bring  a  little  moral  pressure  to 
bear  on  them.  Knocking  people  down  in  the  street 
is  such  an  unchristian  remedy — besides  it  gets  one 
into  trouble  with  the  police. " 

"Then  I  ain't  to  shove  it  across  'em?"  remarked 
Bugg  in  a  slightly  disappointed  voice. 

Tony  shook  his  head.  "Not  unless  they  insist  on 
it, "  he  said.  "As  a  matter  of  fact  I  don't  think  there 
is  really  much  chance  of  your  meeting  them:  it's 
only  that  I  shall  feel  more  comfortable  if  I  know  you 
are  in  the  car. " 

Bugg  nodded  his  comprehension.  "That's  all 
right,  sir, ' '  he  observed  reassuringly.  "I'll  bring  the 
young  laidy  back  saife  an'  'earty.  You  leave  it  ter 
me. 

"Thank  you,  Bugg, "  said  Tony.  "I  shall  now  be 
able  to  go  round  Brooklands  with  a  light  heart." 

He  strolled  back  to  the  library,  where  he  found 
Isabel  kneeling  upon  the  broad  window-seat  looking 
into  a  book  which  she  had  taken  down  from  a 
neighbouring  shelf.  She  made  a  charming  picture 
with  her  copper-coloured  hair  gleaming  in  the  sun- 
light. 

"Good-bye,  Isabel, "  he  said.  "I  wish  I  could  see 
you  again  before  to-morrow,  but  I  am  afraid  there 
isn't  much  chance.  I  can't  very  well  ask  you  to 
dinner  because  of  Cousin  Henry.  He  would  rush 
away  and  tell  all  my  relations  and  half  the  House 
of  Commons. " 


Pricing  an  Heirloom  95 

A  gleam  of  dismay  flashed  into  Isabel's  eyes. 

"The  House  of  Commons!"  she  repeated.  "Is 
your  cousin  a  statesman  then,  a — a — diplomat?" 

"He  is  under  that  curious  impression,"  said 
Tony. 

Isabel  laid  her  hand  quickly  upon  his  sleeve. 
"You  mustn't  let  him  know  I  am  here.  Promise  me, 
won't  you?  Promise  you  won't  even  say  that  you 
have  met  me. " 

There  was  a  frightened  urgency  in  her  demand  that 
filled  Tony  with  a  fresh  surprise. 

" Of  course  I  promise,  "  he  said.  "I  have  no  in- 
tention of  telling  any  one  I  have  met  you,  and  as  for 
telling  about  you  to  Henry — well,  I  should  as  soon 
think  of  playing  music  to  a  bullock. ' '  He  glanced  up 
at  the  clock.  "I  must  be  off,"  he  added.  "I  will 
bring  the  car  round  to-morrow  and  we  will  have  a 
nice  long  run  in  the  country.  In  the  meanwhile  try 
and  remember  that  you've  got  absolutely  nothing 
to  be  frightened  about.  You  are  as  safe  with  us  as 
if  you  were  a  thousand  pound  note  in  the  Bank  of 
England." 

He  gave  her  fingers  an  encouraging  squeeze,  and 
then  leaving  her  looking  after  him  with  grateful  eyes, 
he  walked  across  the  hall  to  the  front  door,  where 
Jennings  was  standing  beside  the  big  Peugot. 

"Jennings,"  said  Tony,  getting  into  the  driving- 
seat,  ' '  I  have  arranged  for  you  to  take  Miss  Francis 
shopping  this  afternoon  in  the  Rolls-Royce.  Bugg 
and  Mrs.  Spalding  will  be  coming  with  you.  " 

"Very  good,  sir,"  responded  Jennings  joylessly. 


96  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

' '  You  will  take  Miss  Francis  to  my  bank  first :  after 
that  she  will  give  you  her  own  instructions."  He 
paused.  "It's  just  possible  you  may  meet  with  a 
little  interference  from  a  couple  of  foreign  gentlemen. 
In  that  event  I  shall  be  obliged  if  you  will  assist  Bugg 
in  knocking  them  down.  " 

Jennings'  brow  darkened.  "If  any  one  comes 
messin' around  with  my  car,  "he  observed  bitterly, 
"I'll  take  a  spanner  to  'em  quick.  I  don't  hold  with 
this  here  fist  fighting:  it's  foolishness  to  my  mind.  " 

"Just  as  you  please,  Jennings,"  said  Tony.  "As 
the  challenged  party  you  will  be  fully  entitled  to 
choose  your  own  weapons." 

He  slipped  in  his  second  speed,  and  gliding  off 
down  the  drive  emerged  on  to  the  Heath.  The  main 
road  was  thickly  strewn  with  nursemaids,  and 
elderly  gentlemen,  who  had  apparently  selected  it  as 
a  suitable  spot  from  which  to  admire  the  famous 
view,  but  avoiding  them  with  some  skill,  Tony 
reached  the  top  of  Haverstock  Hill,  and  turned  up  to 
the  right  in  the  direction  of  the  Spaldings'  house. 

His  ring  at  the  bell  was  answered  by  Mrs.  Spalding 
herself — a  respectable-looking  woman  of  about  forty. 
She  welcomed  Tony  with  a  slightly  flustered  air  of 
friendly  deference. 

"Good-morning,  Mrs.  Spalding,  "  he  said. 

* '  Good-morning,  Sir  Antony, ' '  she  replied.  '  *  Won't 
you  step  inside,  sir?" 

Tony  shook  his  head.  "I  mustn't  wait  now.  I 
have  got  to  be  at  the  Club  in  twenty  minutes.  I 
only  came  round  to  thank  you  for  your  kindness  to 


Pricing  an  Heirloom  97 

Miss  Francis.  She  tells  me  you  have  looked  after  her 
like  a  mother." 

Mrs.  Spalding  seemed  pleased,  if  a  trifle  embar- 
rassed. 

"I  am  very  glad  to  have  been  of  any  service,  Sir 
Antony.  Not  but  what  it's  been  a  pleasure  to  do 
anything  I  could  for  Miss  Francis.  A  very  nice 
young  lady,  sir — and  a  real  one,  too,  if  I'm  any  judge 
of  such  matters. " 

'*I  think  you're  a  first-class  judge,"  said  Tony, 
"and  I  am  glad  you  like  her,  because  I  want  her  to 
stay  on  with  you  for  a  bit.  The  fact  of  the  matter 
is — "  he  came  a  step  nearer  and  his  voice  assumed 
a  pleasantly  confidential  tone — "Miss  Francis  is  an 
orphan,  and  she  has  been  compelled  to  leave  her 
guardian  because  he  drinks  and  treats  her  badly. 
Besides  he's  a  foreigner,  and  you  know  what  most  of 
them  are  like. " 

"Not  a  German,  sir!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Spalding 
feelingly. 

"No,  it's  not  quite  as  bad  as  that,"  said  Tony. 
"Still  he  is  a  brute,  and  I  have  made  up  my  mind  to 
keep  her  out  of  his  hands  until  her  aunt  comes  back 
from  America.  If  you  will  help  us,  I  think  we  ought 
to  be  able  to  manage  it  all  right. " 

The  combined  chivalry  and  candour  of  Tony's 
attitude  in  the  affair  evidently  appealed  to  Mrs. 
Spalding's  finer  nature. 

"I  think  you  are  acting  very  right,  sir,"  she 
replied  warmly.  "A  young  lady  like  that  didn't 
ought  to  be  left  in  charge  of  a  foreigner — let  alone 


98  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

one  who's  given  to  the  drink.      If  I  can  be  of  any 
assistance  you  can  count  on  me,  Sir  Antony." 

"Good!"  said  Tony.  "Well,  in  the  first  place,  if 
you  can  manage  it,  I  want  you  to  go  shopping  with 
her  this  afternoon  in  the  car.  She  has  to  buy  some 
clothes  and  things,  and  it  isn't  safe  for  her  to  be 
about  in  the  West  End  alone.  If  she  came  across 
her  guardian  he  would  be  quite  likely  to  try  and  get 
her  back  by  force.  " 

"They're  a  desperate  lot,  some  of  them  foreigners, 
when  they're  baulked,"  observed  Mrs.  Spalding 
seriously. 

Tony  nodded.  "That's  why  I  have  arranged  to 
send  Bugg  with  you.  There  is  not  really  much 
chance  of  your  meeting  with  any  interference,  but 
just  in  case  you  did — well,  you  could  leave  him  to 
discuss  the  matter,  and  come  along  home."  He 
paused.  "You  won't  let  Miss  Francis  think  I  have 
been  talking  about  her  private  affairs — will  you?" 

Mrs.  Spalding  made  a  dignified  protest.  "I 
shouldn't  dream  of  no  such  thing.  Sir  Antony.  I 
quite  understand  as  you've  been  speaking  to  me  in 
confidence. 

Tony  held  out  his  hand,  which,  after  a  moment's 
respectful  hesitation,  the  worthy  woman  accepted. 

"Well,  I  am  very  much  obliged  to  you,  Mrs. 
Spalding, "  he  said.  "You  have  helped  me  out  of  a 
great  difficulty. "  He  stepped  up  into  the  driving- 
seat  and  took  hold  of  the  wheel.  "The  car  will  be 
coming  round  about  half -past  two,"  he  added,  "and 
I  expect  Miss  Francis  will  be  in  it. " 


Pricing  an  Heirloom  99 

Mrs.  Spalding  curtseyed,  and  responding  with  a 
polite  bow  over  the  side,  Tony  released  his  brake 
and  glided  off  down  the  hill. 

He  did  not  drive  direct  to  the  Club,  for  on  reach- 
ing Oxford  Street  he  made  a  short  detour  through 
Hanover  Square,  and  pulled  up  outside  Murdock  and 
Mason,  the  long  established  and  highly  respectable 
firm  of  jewellers.  He  was  evidently  known  there,  for 
so  sooner  had  he  entered  the  shop  than  the  senior 
partner,  Mr.  Charles  Mason,  a  portly,  benevolent 
old  gentleman  with  a  white  beard,  stepped  forward  to 
greet  him. 

"Good-morning,  Sir  Antony,"  he  observed,  smil- 
ing pleasantly  through  his  gold-rimmed  spectacles; 
"we  haven't  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  you  for  quite 
a  long  time.     I  trust  you  are  keeping  well?" 

"I  am  very  well  indeed,  thank  you,  Mr.  Mason, " 
said  Tony.  "In  fact  I  am  not  at  all  sure  I  am  not 
better  than  I  deserve  to  be.  "  He  put  his  hand  in  his 
pocket  and  pulled  out  Isabel's  brooch.  "I  have 
come  to  ask  you  if  you  will  do  me  a  kindness.  " 

Mr.  Mason  beamed  more  affably  than  ever. 
''Anything  in  my  power,  at  any  time.  Sir  Antony. " 

"  Well,  I  should  like  you  to  tell  me  how  much  this 
is  worth.  I  don't  want  to  sell  it:  I  just  want  to  find 
out  its  value. " 

Mr.  Mason  took  the  brooch,  and  adjusting  his 
spectacles  bent  over  it  with  professional  deliberation. 
It  was  not  long  before  he  looked  up  again  with  a 
mingled  expression  of  interest  and  surprise. 

"I  don't  know  whether  you  are  aware  of  the  fact. 


100        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Sir  Antony,"  he  remarked,  "but  you  have  a  very 
exceptional  piece  of  old  jewellery  here.  The  stone  is 
one  of  the  finest  emeralds  I  have  ever  seen,  and  as 
for  the  setting — "  he  again  peered  curiously  at  the 
delicate  gold  tracery — "well,  I  don't  want  to  express 
an  opinion  too  hastily,  but  I  am  inclined  to  put  it 
down  as  ancient  Moorish  work  of  a  remarkably 
beautiful  kind."  He  paused.  "I  trust  that  you 
wouldn't  consider  it  a  liberty.  Sir  Antony,  if  I 
inquire  whether  you  could  tell  me  anything  of  its 
history." 

"It  belonged  to  my  cousin's  great-grandmother," 
said  Tony  placidly.  "That's  all  I  know  about  it  at 
present. " 

"Indeed, "  said  Mr.  Mason,  "indeed!  It  would  be 
of  great  interest  to  discover  where  it  was  obtained 
from.  A  stone  of  this  quality,  to  say  nothing  of  its 
exceptionally  rare  setting,  is  almost  bound  to  have 
attracted  attention.  I  should  not  be  surprised  to 
find  it  had  figured  in  the  collection  of  some  very 
eminent  personage. " 

"What  do  you  suppose  it's  worth?"  asked 
Tony. 

Mr.  Mason  hesitated  for  a  moment.  "Apart  from 
any  historical  interest  it  may  possess,"  he  replied 
slowly,  "I  should  put  its  value  at  something  between 
five  and  seven  thousand  pounds. " 

' '  Really ! ' '  said  Tony.  ' '  I  had  no  idea  my  cousin's 
great-grandmother  was  so  extravagant. "  He  picked 
up  the  brooch.  ' '  I  wonder  if  you  could  find  me  a  nice 
strong  case  for  it,  Mr.  Mason.     Somebody  might  run 


Pricing  an   Heirloom  loi 

into  me  at  Brooklands  this  afternoon,  and  it  would 
be  a  pity  to  get  it  chipped. " 

The  old  jeweller  accepted  the  treasure  with  almost 
reverent  care,  and  calling  up  one  of  his  assistants 
entrusted  it  to  the  latter's  charge.  In  a  minute  or 
so  the  man  returned  with  a  neatly  fastened  and  care- 
fully sealed  little  package,  which  Tony  thrust  into  his 
pocket. 

"Well,  good-bye,  Mr.  Mason,"  he  said,  "and 
thank  you  so  much.  If  I  find  out  anything  more 
about  my  cousin's  great-grandmother  I  will  let  you 
know. " 

Bowing  and  beaming,  Mr.  Mason  led  the  way 
to  the  door.  "I  should  be  most  interested — most 
interested,  Sir  Antony.  Such  a  remarkable  piece  of 
work  must  certainly  possess  a  history.  I  shouldn't 
be  surprised  if  it  had  belonged  to  any  one — any  one — 
from  Royalty  downwards. " 

Half-past  twelve  was  just  striking  when  Tony 
came  out  of  the  shop.  The  distance  is  not  far  from 
Bond  Street  to  Covent  Garden,  but  as  intimate 
students  of  London  are  aware  the  route  on  occasions 
is  apt  to  be  a  trifle  congested.  It  was  therefore 
about  ten  minutes  after  the  appointed  time  when 
Tony  pulled  up  outside  the  Cosmopolitan  and 
jumping  down  from  the  car  made  his  way  straight 
through  the  hall  to  Donaldson's  private  sanctum, 
where  the  ceremony  of  settling  up  was  invariably 
conducted. 

The  first  person  who  met  his  eyes  on  entering  the 
room  was  the  Marquis  da  Freitas.     Despite  his  r61e 


I02        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

as  payer-out  that  distinguished  statesman  appeared 
to  be  in  the  best  of  spirits,  and  was  chatting  away 
to  a  small  knot  of  members  that  included  "  Doggy" 
Donaldson  and  Dick  Fisher  the  referee.  In  a  comer 
of  the  room,  tastefully  arrayed  in  a  check  suit  and 
lemon-coloured  gloves,  lounged  the  slightly  crest- 
fallen figure  of  Mr.  "Lightning"  Lopez. 

"I  am  so  sorry  to  have  kept  you  all  waiting, "  said 
Tony.  ' '  I  haven't  even  the  excuse  of  having  to  come 
up  from  Richmond — like  the  Marquis. " 

Da  Freitas,  who  was  in  the  act  of  lighting  a  cigar, 
waved  aside  the  apology  with  a  characteristic  gesture. 
"A  few  minutes'  grace  are  always  permissible,  Sir 
Antony,  except  where  a  lady  is  concerned.  As  for 
my  own  punctuality — "  he  shrugged  his  shoulders 
and  showed  his  white  teeth  in  an  amiable  smile — 
"Well,  I  was  staying  at  Claridge's  last  night,  so  I 
had  even  less  distance  to  come  than  you. " 

There  was  a  short  pause.  "Well,  as  we  are  all 
here,"  broke  in  the  genial  rumble  of  "Doggy" 
Donaldson,  "what  d'ye  say  to  gettin'  to  work?  No 
good  spinning  out  these  little  affairs — is  it?" 

This  sentiment  seeming  to  meet  with  general 
approval,  the  company  seated  themselves  round  the 
big  table  in  the  centre.  The  proceedings  did  not 
take  long,  for  after  Donaldson  had  written  out  a 
cheque  for  the  stakes  and  purse,  and  handed  fifty 
pounds,  which  represented  the  loser's  end,  to  Lopez, 
there  remained  nothing  else  to  do  except  to  settle 
up  private  wagers.  Tony,  who  was  occupying  the 
pleasant  position  of  receiver-general,  stuffed  away 


Pricing  an  Heirloom  103 

the  spoils  into  his  pocket,  and  then  following  the 
time-honoured  custom  of  the  Club  on  such  occasions, 
sent  out  for  a  magnum  of  champagne. 

' '  I  am  sorry  the  King  isn't  with  us,"  he  observed  to 
da  Freitas.  "I  should  like  to  drink  his  health  and 
wish  him  better  luck  next  time." 

"We  all  should! "  exclaimed  "  Doggy"  filling  up  his 
glass.  "Gentlemen,  here's  to  our  distinguished 
fellow-member,  King  Pedro  of  Livadia,  and  may  he 
soon  get  his  own  back  on  those  dirty  skunks  who  gave 
him  the  chuck. " 

A  general  chorus  of  "Hear,  hear,"  "Bravo," 
greeted  this  elegant  little  ovation,  for  if  Pedro  him- 
self had  failed  to  inspire  any  particular  affection  in 
the  Club,  its  members  shared  to  the  full  that  fine 
reverence  for  the  Royal  Principle  which  is  invariably 
found  amongst  sportsmen,  actors,  licensed  victual- 
lers, and  elderly  ladies  in  boarding-houses. 

The  Marquis  da  Freitas  acknowledged  the  toast 
with  that  easy  and  polished  urbanity  which  dis- 
tinguished all  his  actions. 

"I  can  assure  you,  gentlemen,"  he  observed, 
"that  amongst  the  many  agreeable  experiences  that 
have  lightened  His  Majesty's  temporary  exile  there 
is  none  that  he  will  look  back  on  with  more  pleasure 
than  his  association  with  the  Cosmopolitan  Club. 
It  is  His  Majesty's  earnest  hope,  and  may  I  add 
mine  also,  that  in  the  happy  and  I  trust  not  far 
distant  days  when  our  at  present  afflicted  country 
has  succeeded  in  ridding  herself  of  traitors  and 
oppressors  we  shall  have  the  opportunity  of  return- 


104        ^  he  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

ing  some  portion  of  that  hospitality  which  has  been 
so  generously  lavished  on  us  in  England.  I  can  only 
add  that  there  will  never  be  any  visitors  to  Livadia 
more  welcome  to  us  than  our  friends  of  the  Cos- 
mopolitan Club." 

A  heartfelt  outburst  of  applause  greeted  these 
sentiments — the  idea  of  being  the  personal  guests  of  a 
reigning  sovereign  distinctly  appealing  to  the  mem- 
bers present. 

"I  hope  he  means  it,"  whispered  "Doggy" 
Donaldson  in  Tony's  ear.  "I'd  like  to  see  a  bit  of 
bull  fightin',  and  they  tell  me  the  Livadian  gals — '* 
He  smacked  his  lips  thoughtfully  as  though  in  an- 
ticipation of  what  might  be  accomplished  under 
the  aegis  of  a  royal  patron. 

Having  created  this  favourable  impression  the 
Marquis  da  Freitas  looked  at  his  watch  and  an- 
nounced that  he  must  be  going.  Tony,  who  had 
promised  to  lunch  at  Brooklands  before  the  trial, 
also  rose  to  take  his  departure,  and  together  they 
passed  out  of  the  room  and  down  the  corridor. 

As  they  reached  the  hall,  the  swing  door  that  led 
out  into  the  street  was  suddenly  pushed  open  and  a 
man  in  a  frock  coat  and  top  hat  strode  into  the  Club. 
He  was  a  remarkable-looking  gentleman — not  unlike 
an  elderly  and  fashionably  dressed  edition  of  Don 
Quixote.  A  dyed  imperial  and  carefully  corseted 
figure  gave  him  at  first  sight  the  appearance  of  being 
younger  than  he  really  was,  but  his  age  could  not 
have  been  far  short  of  sixty. 

The  most  striking  thing  about  him,  however,  was 


Pricing  an  Heirloom  105 

his  obvious  agitation.  His  face  was  worried  and 
haggard,  and  his  hands  were  switching  nervously 
Hke  those  of  a  man  suffering  from  some  uncon- 
trollable mental  excitement. 

He  came  straight  across  the  hall  towards  the 
porter's  box,  and  then  catching  sight  of  da  Freitas 
turned  towards  him  with  an  involuntary  interjection 
of  relief. 

"Oh,  you  are  here, "  he  exclaimed.  "Thank  God 
I " 

He  paused  abruptly  as  he  suddenly  perceived  Tony 
in  the  background,  and  at  the  same  instant  the  Mar- 
quis stepped  forward  and  laid  a  hand  on  his  shoulder. 

"My  dear  fellow,  "  he  said  in  that  smooth,  master- 
ful voice  of  his,  "how  good  of  you  to  look  me  up! 
Come  along  in  here  and  have  a  chat." 

On  the  right  of  the  hall  was  a  small  room  specially 
reserved  for  the  entertainment  of  visitors,  and  before 
the  stranger  could  have  uttered  another  syllable — 
even  if  he  had  wished  to,  the  Marquis  had  drawn 
him  across  the  threshold  and  closed  the  door  behind 
them. 

For  several  seconds  Tony  remained  where  he  was, 
contemplating  the  spot  where  they  had  disappeared. 
Then,  with  that  pleasant,  unhurried  smile  of  his,  he 
pulled  out  his  case,  and  slowly  and  thoughtfully 
lighted  himself  a  cigarette. 

"One  might  almost  imagine,"  he  observed,  "that 
da  Freitas  didn't  want  to  take  me  into  his  con- 
fidence." 


CHAPTER  VII 
bugg's  strategy 

There  was  a  knock  outside. 

"Come  in, "  said  Tony,  who  was  arranging  his  tie 
in  front  of  the  glass. 

The  door  opened,  and  Guy  OHver  walked  into  the 
bedroom.  He  was  in  evening  dress,  which  if  possible 
made  him  look  more  sedate  than  ever. 

"Hullo,  Guy!"  said  Tony;  "I  am  afraid  I  am  a 
little  late.     Is  Cousin  Henry  fuming  on  the  mat  ? " 

Guy  shook  his  head.  "He  hasn't  turned  up  yet: 
it's  only  just  gone  half-past. "  He  seated  himself 
on  the  end  of  the  bed.  "How  did  you  get  on  at 
Brooklands?"  he  asked. 

Tony  stepped  back  from  the  glass  and  contemplated 
his  tie  with  some  satisfaction. 

"I  had  quite  a  cheerful  day,"  he  replied.  "I 
managed  to  squeeze  eighty-six  out  of  her,  and 
finished  up  by  breaking  the  back-axle.  " 

Guy  nodded  grimly.  "You  will  break  your  neck 
some  day,"  he  observed,  "and  then  I  suppose  you 
will  be  satisfied. " 

"I  doubt  it,"  said  Tony;  "not  if  our  present 
theology  is  anything  approaching  accurate."     He 

io6 


Bugg's  Strategy  107 

picked  up  a  dinner-jacket  from  the  bed  and  began 
slowly  to  put  it  on.  "Besides, "  he  added  thought- 
fully, '  'I  shouldn't  like  to  die  just  yet.  I  think  I  see 
a  chance  of  doing  a  little  good  in  the  world. " 

Guy  looked  at  him  suspiciously.  "Who  was  that 
girl  you  had  to  breakfast  with  you?"  he  asked. 

"Really,  Guy!"  said  Tony,  "you  get  more  cynical 
every  day.  "  He  crossed  to  the  washstand,  and  tak- 
ing a  carnation  out  of  its  glass  proceeded  to  arrange 
it  in  his  button-hole. 

"But  who  is  she?"  persisted  Guy. 

' '  She  is  my  adopted  cousin.  Her  name  is  Isabel — 
Isabel  Francis.  I  adopted  her  after  breakfast  this 
morning. " 

There  was  a  short  pause.  Then  in  a  faintly 
ironical  voice  Guy  observed:  "Since  she  appears 
to  be  a  relation  of  mine  also,  perhaps  you  wouldn't 
mind  telling  me  where  and  when  you  met  her.  " 

"Not  in  the  least,"  said  Tony  imperturbably. 
"We  met  each  other  in  Long  Acre  last  night  at  about 
a  quarter  to  eleven.  " 

"Where?"  exclaimed  Guy. 

"Long  Acre,"  repeated  Tony.  "It's  a  popular 
thoroughfare  running  out  of  Leicester  Square." 
He  watched  his  cousin's  face  for  a  moment  with  some 
enjoyment,  and  then  added:  "If  you  would  try  to 
look  less  like  the  recording  angel  I  might  tell  you  all 
about  it. " 

"Go  on,  "  said  Guy. 

Tony  paused  to  light  a  cigarette,  and  then  seated 
himself  on  the  bed.     "It  was  like  this,"  he  began. 


io8         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

' '  Bugg  and  I  were  coming  down  Long  Acre  after  the 
fight,  when  we  saw  Isabel  being — being — what's 
the  word — 'accosted'  by  a  couple  of  gentlemen  who 
looked  like  dressed-up  organ-grinders.  As  an  English- 
man and  a  baronet  I  thought  it  was  my  duty  to 
interfere. " 

"You  would,  "  said  Guy  with  conviction. 

"Leaving  Bugg  to  knock  down  the  two  gentle- 
men, "  proceeded  Tony  tranquilly,  'T  took  Isabel  to 
supper  at  Verrier's.  We  had  a  very  good  supper. 
There  was 

"Never  mind  about  the  supper,"  interrupted 
Guy.  "How  did  she  come  to  be  having  breakfast 
with  you  this  morning  ? ' ' 

"What  a  dreadfully  direct  mind  you  have, "  com- 
plained Tony.  "There  is  no  pleasure  in  telling  you 
a  story.  "  He  paused.  "The  fact  was,  "  he  added, 
"that  Isabel  had  nowhere  to  sleep,  so  I  brought  her 
back  to  Mrs.  Spalding's." 

' '  You  what  ? ' '  demanded  Guy. 

"I  brought  her  back  to  Mrs.  Spalding's.  I 
couldn't  very  well  bring  her  here:  I  knew  it  would 
shock  you.  That's  the  worst  of  having  a  thoughtful 
nature  like  mine. " 

"I  say,  is  all  this  true?"  asked  Guy. 

"Of  course  it  is,  "  said  Tony.  "Perfectly  true.  I 
couldn't  invent  anything  half  so  interesting. " 

"You  mean  to  say  that  you  picked  up  a  girl  in 
Long  Acre,  and  that  you've  actually  brought  her 
back  and — and  established  her  at  the  Spaldings'!" 

"My    dear    Guy!"    said    Tony.     "Please    don't 


Bugg's  Strategy  109 

talk  like  that.  It  reminds  me  of  one  of  Hall  Caine's 
heroes.  "  He  stopped  to  flick  the  ash  off  his  cigarette. 
"You've  seen  Isabel.  You  surely  don't  think  she  is 
an  abandoned  adventuress,  do  you?" 

"No, "  said  Guy.  "I  never  suggested  it:  at  least 
I  never  meant  to.  She  seemed  quite  a  nice  girl  in  her 
way,  but — but — well,  who  is  she,  and  what  on  earth 
is  she  doing  wandering  about  London  without  any 
friends?" 

' '  I  don't  know, ' '  said  Tony.  ' '  I  think  she  has  run 
away  from  somewhere  and  doesn't  want  to  go  back. 
The  only  thing  I  am  certain  about  is  that  she  had  a 
very  extravagant  great-grandmother. " 

Guy  got  up  from  the  bed.  "Well,"  he  said,  "I 
have  seen  you  do  some  fairly  insane  things  in  my  time, 
but  this  is  about  the  limit.  Why  the  girl  may  be 
anything  or  anybody. " 

"I  know,"  interrupted  Tony.  "It's  the  uncer- 
tainty that  makes  it  so  exciting. " 

"But  think  of  the  position  you're  putting  yourself 
in !  Suppose  she  has  run  away  from  school  and  her 
parents  were  to  trace  her  here,  why  there  would  be  a 
scandal  that  would  ruin  the  family ! " 

"Well,  what  do  you  think  I  ought  to  do?"  asked 
Tony.  "Turn  her  out  again  into  the  cold  hard 
world?" 

Guy  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "You  must  do 
what  you  like,  "  he  said.  "I'm  not  going  to  accept 
any  responsibility.  I  have  given  you  my  opinion, 
and  if  you  don't  choose " 

He  was  interrupted  by  a  knock  at  the  door,  followed 


no         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

almost  immediately  by  the  appearance  of  Spalding, 
who  was  carrying  a  note  upon  a  small  silver  tray- 
He  crossed  the  room  and  proffered  the  letter  to 
Tony. 

"  Mr.  Conway  has  just  arrived,  Sir  Antony, "  he 
remarked.     "He  is  in  the  drawing-room.  " 

"What's  this?"  asked  Tony,  picking  up  the  note. 

"I  believe  it  is  a  communication  from  Bugg,  Sir 
Antony.     Mrs.  Spalding  brought  it  round.  " 

Tony  turned  to  his  cousin.  "You  might  go  down 
and  kiss  Henry,  will  you,  Guy  ? "  he  said.  "  I  will  be 
with  you  in  a  second.  " 

Guy  left  the  room,  and  tearing  open  the  envelope, 
Tony  took  out  the  letter  inside.  It  was  written  in  a 
sprawling,  illiterate  hand,  and  beautifully  innocent 
of  either  stops  or  capitals. 

sir  i  and  the  young  lady  come  home  safe  but  i  spotted 
one  of  them  forin  blokes  hanging  round  the  corner  of 
the  street  so  i  says  to  meself  I'd  better  stop  here  till  i 
heres  from  you  becos  i  think  he  may  be  after  the  young 
lady  and  Mrs  S.  says  its  all  rite  and  i  can  sleep  in  the 
kitchin  and  hoping  i  done  rite  your  obedient  servent  tiger 
bugg  the  young  lady  didnt  spot  the  bloke. 

Tony  read  this  interesting  missive  through  with 
extreme  care  and  then  looked  up  at  the  expressionless 
face  of  Spalding. 

"For  various  reasons, "  he  said,  "it  would  be  very 
convenient  if  Bugg  could  sleep  at  your  house  for 
the  next  day  or  so.  I  suppose  you  would  have  no 
objection  if  your  wife  approved?" 


Bugg's  Strategy  iii 

"None  at  all,  Sir  Antony,  "  replied  Spalding.  "I 
make  it  a  point  never  to  object  to  anything  of  which 
Mrs.  Spalding  approves." 

Tony  regarded  him  thoughtfully.  "I  should 
imagine  you  were  a  most  considerate  husband, 
Spalding, "  he  said. 

Yes,  sir, ' '  said  Spalding.     ' '  My  wife  sees  to  that, 
sir." 

Folding  up  the  note  and  putting  it  in  his  pocket, 
Tony  made  his  way  downstairs  to  the  drawing-room, 
where  he  found  Guy  in  conversation  with  a  heavily- 
built,  pink-faced,  stolid-looking  man  of  about  forty 
years  of  age.  This  was  Henry  Conway,  a  first 
cousin  of  both  Tony  and  Guy,  and  an  intensely 
serious  and  painstaking  member  of  the  House  of 
Commons.  He  had  married  Lady  Laura  Crampton, 
the  plain  but  public-spirited  daughter  of  the  Earl  of 
Kent — an  alliance  which  had  been  of  considerable 
assistance  to  them  both  in  their  disinterested  efforts 
in  behalf  of  the  general  welfare. 

"Hullo,  Henry,"  said  Tony,  coming  forward  with 
a  well-assumed  air  of  pleasure.  ' '  I  am  so  sorry  to  be 
late.     How's  Laura?" 

Henry  shook  hands. 

"Laura  is  fairly  well,  thank  you,  Tony,"  he  re- 
plied. ' '  I  think  she's  a  little  overtaxed  her  strength 
in  working  up  this  new  league  for  closing  the  public- 
houses  to  women,  but  no  doubt  she  will  soon  be  her- 
self again.  Her  recuperative  powers  are  wonderful, 
quite  wonderful. " 

"I  know,"   said  Tony.     "I  suppose  the  feeling 


112         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

that  one  is  promoting  the  happiness  of  one's  fellow- 
creatures  acts  as  a  sort  of  stimulus. " 

Henry  nodded,  and  taking  out  his  handkerchief 
blew  his  nose  resonantly.  "  If  it  were  not  for  that, " 
he  observed,  "the  strain  of  public  life  would  at  times 
be  almost  intolerable. " 

There  was  a  short  pause,  broken  by  the  opportune 
appearance  of  Spalding  with  the  announcement  that 
dinner  was  ready. 

Throughout  the  meal  the  conversation  remained 
fairly  general.  Henry  was  rich  in  that  type  of  in- 
telligence which  enables  its  possessor  to  discourse 
copiously  and  decisively  upon  every  possible  topic 
without  puzzling  the  listener  by  introducing  subtle  or 
original  views.  Politics  in  some  shape  or  other  were 
of  course  his  principal  theme,  and  in  view  of  Guy's 
warning,  Tony  expected  every  moment  that  the 
menacing  question  of  Balham  North  would  obtrude 
itself  above  the  horizon.  Apparently,  however,  in 
Henry's  opinion,  the  presence  of  Spalding  acted  as  a 
barrier,  and  it  was  not  until  dinner  was  finished  and 
they  were  sitting  alone  over  their  coffee  and  cigars 
that  he  began  to  approach  the  subject  which  was 
really  the  cause  of  his  visit. 

"I  understand,"  he  said  turning  to  Tony,  "that 
Guy  has  more  or  less  acquainted  you  with  the  steps 
that  I  have  been  taking  in  your  interest. " 

Tony  nodded.  "It's  exceedingly  kind  of  you, 
Henry,"  he  said.  "The  only  thing  is  I  haven't 
quite  made  up  my  mind  yet  whether  I  have  the 
necessary  qualifications  for  a  successful  statesman." 


Bugg's  Strategy  113 

Henry's  eyebrows  contracted.  "I  was  under  the 
impression,"  he  said,  "that  we  had  already  settled 
that  part  of  the  affair." 

"You  and  Laura  may  have  settled  it,"  replied 
Tony.  "In  important  matters  of  this  sort  I  always 
prefer  a  little  time  for  reflection.  " 

Henry  pushed  back  his  chair  from  the  table. 
"And  may  I  inquire,"  he  asked  with  an  obvious 
attempt  at  irony,  "what  you  would  consider  *a 
little  time'  ?  It  seems  to  me  that  six  years  ought  to 
be  a  sufficient  period  in  which  to  decide  what 
one  intends  to  do  with  one's  self."  He  paused. 
"Unless,  of  course,  you  prefer  to  go  on  doing 
nothing. " 

' '  Nothing ! ' '  echoed  Tony  reprovingly.  * '  My  dear 
Henry !  What  a  way  in  which  to  describe  my  multi- 
farious activities. " 

With  the  stern  self-control  engendered  by  a  public 
career  Henry  managed  to  keep  his  temper.  "I  am 
speaking  of  useful  and  serious  work  in  the  world," 
he  replied.  "You  did  your  duty  in  the  war  cer- 
tainly, but  since  then  you  seem  to  haVe  devoted  your 
life  entirely  to  frivolous  amusements.  " 

"There  is  precious  little  frivolity  about  motor- 
racing,"  objected  Tony.  "You  should  have  been 
with  me  to-day  when  the  back-axle  went.  " 

"Thank  you,  "  said  Henry  stiffly.  "I  have  some- 
thing better  to  do  with  my  time.  "  He  looked  across 
at  Guy.  "I  think  you  agree  with  me  that  the 
manner  in  which  Tony  is  wasting  his  life  is  nothing 
short  of  deplorable. " 


114         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"Certainly  I  do,"  said  Guy.  "I  was  telling  him 
so  at  dinner  last  night.  " 

Henry  nodded.  "The  whole  family  are  of  the 
same  opinion."  He  turned  back  to  Tony.  "It 
isn't  as  if  you  were  a  private  individual  and  able  to 
do  what  you  please.  A  great  position  has  its  obli- 
gations as  well  as  its  privileges.  The  Conways 
have  always  played  an  important  part  in  public  life, 
and  as  head  of  the  family  it  is  your  duty  to  see  that 
this  tradition  is  maintained.  " 

Tony  looked  at  him  with  a  certain  amount  of 
admiration,  "If  I  only  had  your  gifts,  Henry,"  he 
said,  "I  shouldn't  hesitate  a  moment,  but  I  don't 
believe  I  could  ever  learn  to  talk  as  you  do.  " 

Henry  acknowledged  the  compliment  with  a 
pleased  if  slightly  patronizing  smile.  "Oh,  I  don't 
know,"  he  observed  more  graciously.  "I  believe 
you  have  considerable  ability  if  you  chose  to  exercise 
it.  Of  course  one  can't  expect  to  become  a  finished 
speaker  all  in  a  moment,  but  it's  wonderful  what  a 
little  practice  and  experience  will  do.  Besides  you 
would  have  the  benefit  of  my  advice  and  assistance 
from  the  start. " 

"I  am  sure  I  should,"  said  Tony,  "and  Laura's, 
too,  I  expect. " 

Henry  nodded.  "No  one  is  more  interested  in 
your  future  than  Laura  is.  It  was  her  original  idea 
that  I  should  bring  your  name  forward  for  Balham 
North.  You  can  count  on  having  her  by  your  side 
through  the  whole  campaign.  " 

"It's  my  behef, "  interrupted  Guy  a  little  hastily, 


Bugg's  Strategy  115 

"that  Tony  would  thoroughly  enjoy  an  election. 
The  element  of  fighting  about  it  ought  to  suit  him 
exactly." 

"I  wish  it  was  some  other  place  than  Balham 
North  though, "  observed  Tony  pensively.  "I  can't 
see  myself  saying  'Men  of  Balham!'  with  just  the 
proper  ring  that  the  phrase  ought  to  have. " 

Henry  looked  at  him  a  shade  mistrustfully.  "I 
only  hope, "  he  replied,  "that  you  intend  to  approach 
the  matter  in  a  serious  spirit.  I  have  gone  out  of  my 
way  to  put  your  name  forward,  and  it  might  do  me  a 
great  deal  of  harm  politically,  if  you  choose  to  make  a 
deliberate  fiasco  of  it. " 

With  a  reassuring  smile,  Tony  pushed  the  port 
towards  him. 

"Don't  you  worry,  Henry,"  he  said.  "When  I 
take  a  thing  up  I  always  carry  it  through  decently 
and  properly,  don't  I,  Guy?" 

"You  carry  it  through,  certainly,"  admitted  the 
latter. 

"Then  I  understand,"  said  Henry  refilling  his 
glass,  "that  I  can  inform  Headquarters  you  are 
prepared  to  contest  the  seat  at  the  next  election. " 

There  was  a  short  pause. 

"I  suppose  so,"  said  Tony.  "If  it  will  really 
give  the  family  so  much  pleasure  I  haven't  the  heart 
to  refuse.  I  am  afraid  it  will  mean  a  lot  of  extra  work 
for  Guy,  though." 

"You  needn't  mind  about  me,"  put  in  Guy 
unsympathetically. 

"And  how  does  one  start?"   asked   Tony.     "I 


ii6        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

have  read  somewhere  about  people  nursing  a  con- 
stituency. Do  we  have  to  go  down  and  nurse 
Balham?" 

Henry  shook  his  head.  "There  is  no  hurry,"  he 
said.  "Sir  George  Wilmer  has  given  us  a  private 
hint  that  he  means  to  retire  at  the  next  election,  but 
he  is  not  going  to  make  his  intention  public  until 
Christmas.  Properly  used,  this  time  will  be  invalu- 
able to  you." 

Tony  nodded  thoughtfully.  "Yes,"  he  said.  "I 
shall  enjoy  a  last  run  round  before  becoming  an  M.P. 
One  has  got  to  be  so  devilish  careful  what  one  does 
then." 

"I  was  referring  rather,"  said  Henry  with  some 
coldness,  "to  the  opportunity  it  will  afford  you  of 
preparing  yourself  for  your  new  position.  If  you 
choose  to  work  hard  you  might  by  that  time  have 
put  yourself  in  the  way  of  becoming  a  useful  and 
desirable  acquisition  to  the  House.  " 

"Why,  of  course,"  said  Tony.  "I  never  thought 
of  looking  at  it  like  that."  He  paused.  "What 
would  you  advise  me  to  work  at?" 

"If  I  were  you,"  said  Henry,  "I  should  take  up 
some  special  subject — it  doesn't  much  matter  what 
it  is — foreign  affairs,  temperance,  agriculture — any- 
thing which  is  frequently  before  the  House.  Make 
yourself  more  or  less  of  an  authority  on  that,  and  then 
you  will  have  a  recognized  position  from  the  very 
start."  He  stopped  to  consult  his  watch.  "I  am 
afraid  I  shall  have  to  be  going,"  he  added.  "  I  have 
promised  to  look  in  and  say  a  few  words  to  the  West 


Bugg's  Strategy  117 

Hampstead  Anti-Vivisection  League,  who  are  holding 
their  annual  meeting  to-night,  and  it's  getting  on  for 
ten  o'clock  now. "  He  got  up  and  held  out  a  large, 
white,  soft  hand,  which  Tony  accepted  with  a  certain 
physical  reluctance  that  hands  of  that  sort  always 
inspired  in  him. 

"I  am  pleased — very  pleased,"  continued  Henry, 
"that  you  are  at  last  beginning  to  realize  the  re- 
sponsibilities of  your  position.  When  the  time  comes 
you  may  rest  assured  that  Laura  and  I  will  give  you 
any  assistance  in  our  power.  In  the  meantime,  if 
you  want  any  advice  about  what  to  read  or  study, 
you  can't  do  better  than  to  talk  it  over  with 
Guy." 

Tony  nodded  again.  "I  expect  we  shall  have  lots 
of  interesting  chats  together, "  he  said. 

He  rang  the  bell  for  Henry's  car,  and  accompany- 
ing his  cousin  into  the  hall,  helped  him  on  with  his 
coat.  They  stood  talking  in  the  doorway  until  a 
well-appointed  Daimler  brougham  rolled  up  noise- 
lessly to  the  porch,  and  then  with  another  handshake 
and  a  final  good-night  Tony  returned  to  the  dining- 
room. 

He  sat  down  heavily  in  his  lately  vacated  chair. 
"If  you  have  any  real  love  for  me,  Guy,"  he  said, 
"you  will  pass  me  the  brandy." 

Guy  handed  across  a  delicately  shaped  old  Vene- 
tian decanter,  out  of  which  Tony  helped  himself  in 
generous  fashion. 

"If  I  had  an  inn,"  he  observed,  "I  should  pay 
Henry  to  sit  in  the  bar  parlour  and  talk  about  poli- 


ii8         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

tics.  I  am  sure  he  would  drive  the  customers  to 
drink." 

In  spite  of  himself  Guy  smiled.  "I  think  you  are 
very  unfair  and  very  ungrateful, "  he  replied  serenely. 
'  *  Henry  may  be  a  little  pompous  at  times,  but  after 
all  he  means  well,  and  he  has  your  best  interests  at 
heart." 

Tony  lit  himself  another  cigar.  "All  my  rela- 
tions have,"  he  said,  "and  the  worst  of  it  is,  it's 
such  a  horribly  infectious  complaint.  If  I  am 
not  uncommonly  careful  I  shall  be  catching  it 
myself." 

"You  have  managed  to  resist  it  pretty  successfully 
so  far,"  observed  Guy  drily. 

"I  know,"  said  Tony,  "but  that  doesn't  make 
me  feel  really  safe.  There  is  a  sort  of  natural 
tendency  to  take  one's  self  seriously  in  the  Conway 
blood,  and  you  can  never  be  certain  it  won't  suddenly 
come  bursting  out.  I  shouldn't  be  in  the  least 
surprised  if  I  finished  up  by  getting  the  Victorian 
Order,  and  the  freedom  of  Manchester. ' ' 

"I  suppose  you  do  really  mean  to  stand?"  said 
Guy  after  a  short  pause. 

"I  suppose  so,"  replied  Tony.  "I  think  I  would 
agree  to  do  anything  rather  than  argue  with 
Henry." 

He  pushed  back  his  chair  and  finishing  off  the 
brandy  in  his  glass,  rose  to  his  feet. 

"Going  out?"  asked  Guy. 

Tony  nodded.  "Just  for  a  few  minutes.  It's  a 
very  important  step  in  one's  life  to  become  a  mem- 


Bugg's  Strategy  119 

ber  of  Parliament — especially  for  Balham  North.  I 
am  going  to  have  a  little  quiet  meditation  beneath 
the  stars." 

Guy  looked  at  him  disbelievingly.  "Umph!"  he 
observed,  and  taking  out  his  favourite  after-dinner 
smoke — a  short,  well-seasoned  briar  pipe,  began 
methodically  to  fill  it  from  his  pouch. 

Leaving  him  to  this  innocent  luxury,  Tony  crossed 
the  hall,  and  without  troubling  to  pick  up  a  hat 
sauntered  leisurely  out  of  the  house  and  down  the 
drive.  It  was  a  perfect  night.  Under  a  sky  of  inky 
blue,  powdered  with  stars,  the  Heath  lay  dark  and 
silent,  as  if  dreaming  regretfully  of  those  far  gone 
spacious  times  when  the  mounted  highwaymen  lurked 
amongst  its  bushes. 

The  only  people  who  lurked  there  at  present  were 
much  too  occupied  with  each  other  to  pay  any  atten- 
tion to  Tony.  With  his  cigar  glowing  pleasantly  in 
the  darkness  he  strolled  slowly  across  the  grass  in  the 
direction  of  the  water-works,  which  stood  up  in  a 
clear-cut,  black  mass  against  the  clearness  of  the 
night  sky. 

A  few  yards  further  brought  him  to  the  end  of  the 
quiet  road  in  which  the  Spaldings'  house  was  situ- 
ated. It  was  overshadowed  by  trees,  but  in  the 
light  of  a  street  lamp  some  little  way  down,  he 
caught  sight  of  a  solitary,  bare-headed  figure  leaning 
over  one  of  the  front  gates.  Even  at  that  distance 
he  could  recognize  the  familiar  features  of  "Tiger" 
Bugg. 

As  Tony  came  up,  the  future   world's   champion 


120         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

lifted  the  latch,  and  stepped  out  noiselessly  on  to  the 
pavement  to  meet  him. 

"I  guessed  it  was  you,  sir, "  he  observed  in  a  low 
voice.  "You  didn't  'appen  to  spot  no  one  'angin' 
abaht  under  them  trees  as  you  come  along?" 

Tony  shook  his  head,  and  seated  himself  on  the 
low  wall  with  his  back  to  the  railings.  "No,  Bugg, " 
he  said.     ' '  The  road  seemed  to  me  distinctly  empty. 

Under  the  lamp-light,  "Tiger's"  face  assumed  an 
expression  of  disappointment.  "Ah!"  he  remarked, 
"I  reckon  they've  spotted  I'm  layin'  for  'em  arter 
all."     He  paused.     "You  got  my  letter,  sir?" 

' '  Yes ,  thank  you ,  B  ugg ,"  said  Tony .  ' '  I  want  you 
to  tell  me  all  about  it.  " 

"I  don't  know  as  there's  very  much  to  tell,  sir," 
responded  Bugg  modestly.  ' '  It  was  like  this  'ere,  sir. 
The  young  laidy  done  'er  shopping  nice  and  com- 
f 'table,  and  there  'adn't  bin  no  sign  of  any  one  'anging 
arahnd  or  wantin'  to  maike  trouble.  We  wos  comin' 
back  in  the  car  and  I  was  just  thinkin'  to  meself  as 
things  was  all  right,  w'en  Jennings  swung  'er  a  bit 
lively  rahnd  that  bottom  corner  there," — he  jerked 
his  thumb  away  down  the  road — "and  all  of  a  sudden 
I  seed  a  'ead  dodgin'  back  be'ind  one  o'  them  big 
trees.  'E  was  quick,  but  'e  weren't  quite  quick 
enough  for  me.  I  knew  'is  dirty  faice  the  moment  I 
set  me  eyes  on  it.  It  was  the  other  Daigo — the  one 
that  copped  a  shove  in  the  jaw  last  night  and  done 
a  buck  w'en  the  rozzers  come. ' ' 

"You  don't  think  Miss  Francis  saw  him?"  inter- 
rupted Tony. 


Bugg's  Strategy  121 

Bugg  shook  his  head.  "No  one  seen  'im  except 
me,  sir;  and  I  didn't  say  nothin',  not  bein'  wishful  to 
frighten  the  young  laidy.  Besides,  it  come  into  me 
'ead  wot  you'd  said  abaht  leadin'  'em  on  like,  so  I 
jest  sits  w'ere  I  was  till  we  reaches  the  'ouse,  an' 
then  I  gets  out  an'  goes  inside  saime  as  if  I  'adn't 
seen  nothing.     I  'ope  I  done  right,  sir?" 

"Sheriock  Holmes  couldn't  have  done  righter, " 
observed  Tony.  "I  wonder  how  the  devil  they've 
found  out  the  house  though.  " 

Bugg  scratched  his  ear.  "Well,  sir,  I  bin  thinkin  'it 
over  like,  sir,  and  I  reckon  they  must  ha'  followed  me 
this  momin',  w'en  I  come  up  from  the  Court.  " 

Tony  looked  at  him  admiringly.  "Bugg,"  he 
said,  "you  are  growing  positively  brilliant.  I  have 
no  doubt  that's  the  correct  explanation.  They 
were  probably  hanging  about  outside  Goodman's  Rest 
and  saw  Miss  Francis  come  back  here  in  the  car." 
He  paused  and  took  a  thoughtful  draw  at  his  cigar. 
"I  suppose  they're  waiting  for  a  chance  to  get  her 
alone  again. " 

Bugg  nodded.  "That's  abaht  it,  sir;  and  that's 
w'y  I  thought  I'd  best  stop  on  'ere.  I  see  Mrs. 
Spalding  knew  something  o'  wot  was  up,  so  I  gives  'er 
the  orfice  straight  abaht  'avin'  spotted  the  bloke 
be'ind  the  tree,  and  she  suggests  as  I  should  write  to 
you  an'  she'll  taike  the  letter  rahnd. "  He  cleared 
his  throat,  and  expectorated  in  the  gutter.  "And 
that's  'ow  things  are,  sir,  in  a  manner  o'  speaking.  " 

Tony  knocked  the  ash  off  his  cigar  and  got  up  from 
his  seat. 


122         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"I  am  vastly  obliged  to  you,  Bugg, "  he  said. 
"You  are  an  ideal  secretary  for  a  knight  errant." 
He  looked  up  at  th-e  house,  the  windows  of  which 
were  in  darkness.  "Have  they  gone  to  bed?"  he 
asked. 

"I  think  the  young  laidy's  turned  in,  sir, "  replied 
Bugg  "I  reckon  she  was  tired  buyin'  all  them  'ats 
and  things.  Mrs.  Spalding's  abaht,  if  ye'd  like  to  see 
'er,  sir." 

He  opened  the  gate  for  Tony,  and  they  walked  up 
the  narrow  cobbled  path  which  led  to  the  house. 
The  front  door  was  ajar,  and  just  as  they  entered 
Mrs.  Spalding  appeared  in  the  passage,  with  a  can  of 
hot  water  in  her  hand.  She  put  it  down  on  seeing 
Tony,  and  with  her  usual  air  of  slightly  flustered 
deference,  opened  the  door  of  Isabel's  sitting-room, 
and  invited  him  to  "step  inside." 

"I  am  not  going  to  keep  you  up,  Mrs.  Spalding,  " 
he  said  cheerfully.  "I  only  came  round  in  answer 
to  Bugg's  letter.  It  struck  me  that  you  might 
possibly  be  feeling  a  little  nervous,  and  I  shouldn't 
like  to  think  that  you  were  being  worried  in  any  way 
about  my  affairs. " 

His  consideration  evidently  touched  Mrs.  Spalding 
deeply. 

"Oh,  please  to  put  your  mind  at  ease  about  that, 
Sir  Antony, "  she  observed.  "As  long  as  Bugg's  on 
the  premises  it  doesn't  frighten  me  if  people  choose 
to  hang  about  outside  the  house. " 

"Of  course,"  said  Tony,  pursuing  his  advantage, 
"if  you  would  rather,  I  could  probably  arrange  to 


Bugg's  Strategy  123 

get  rooms  for  Miss  Francis  somewhere  else.  The 
only  thing  is  her  guardian  would  most  certainly  find 
out,  and  Heaven  knows  what  might  happen  to  her 
then!" 

The  good  woman  made  a  gesture  of  protest.  ' '  You 
mustn't  think  of  it,  Sir  Antony, "  she  declared.  "I 
wouldn't  never  forgive  myself  if  that  sweet  young 
lady  was  got  back  by  them  foreigners.  I've  taken  a 
rare  liking  to  her,  Sir  Antony,  and  it's  an  honour  and 
a  pleasure  to  be  of  any  assistance.  I  was  saying  as 
much  to  Spalding  to-night,  an'  he  agreed  with  me 
every  word.  " 

Tony  launched  an  inward  blessing  on  Spalding's 
philosophic  theories  about  matrimonial  happiness. 

"Well,  if  you  both  feel  like  that,  "  he  said,  "I  shall 
go  on  taking  advantage  of  your  kindness.  It  won't 
be  for  long,  because  Miss  Francis'  aunt  is  bound  tc 
be  coming  back  soon.  In  the  meanwhile," — he 
turned  to  include  Bugg,  who,  with  his  usual  tact, 
had  remained  modestly  on  the  doorstep,  "we  will 
soon  put  a  stop  to  this  spying  business.  I  am  not 
going  to  have  dirty  looking  people  popping  in  and  out 
behind  trees  anywhere  near  my  house.  The  rates 
are  much  too  high  to  put  up  with  that  sort  of  thing.  " 
He  stopped  to  take  another  puff  at  his  cigar,  which  he 
had  nearly  allowed  to  go  out.  "I  suppose  Miss 
Francis  has  gone  to  bed? "  he  asked. 

Mrs.  Spalding  nodded.  "It's  what  you  might 
call  tiring  work — shopping  is.  Sir  Antony,  especially 
when  a  young  lady's  used  to  having  most  things  done 
for  her,  as  I  can  see  Miss  Francis  is. "     She  paused. 


124         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"I  was  just  taking  her  up  some  hot  water  when  you 
came  in,  "  she  added. 

"Really,"  said  Tony;  "well,  we  mustn't  keep  it 
waiting  about  or  it  will  be  losing  its  character.  "  He 
turned  towards  the  door.  "By  the  way,  "  he  added, 
"you  might  tell  Miss  Francis  that  if  she  would  care 
for  a  motor  drive  to-morrow  I  should  be  delighted 
to  take  her.  I  daresay  she  will  be  coming  round 
in  the  morning  and  we  can  fix  up  the  time  then.  " 

Mrs.  Spalding  promised  to  deliver  the  message,  and 
wishing  her  good-night,  Tony  sauntered  off  down 
the  drive,  with  his  hand  on  Bugg's  shoulder.  They 
came  to  a  halt  at  the  gate. 

"It's  an  undignified  position  for  the  future  cham- 
pion of  England  to  be  acting  as  a  watch-dog,  Bugg,  " 
he  said,  "but  having  put  our  hands  to  the  plough — " 
He  broke  off  and  remained  for  a  moment  or  two 
thoughtfully  contemplating  the  star-spangled  stretch 
of  firmament  which  was  visible  between  the  trees. 

With  an  expression  of  patient  interest,  Bugg 
waited  for  him  to  continue. 

"Let  us  summarize  the  situation,  Bugg,"  he 
said  gravely.  "Then  we  shall  know  exactly  where 
we  are."  He  paused.  "For  some  reason,  which  I 
don't  understand  any  more  than  you  do  at  present, 
those  two  gentlemen  we  had  the  pleasure  of  intro- 
ducing ourselves  to  in  Long  Acre  appear  to  be  very 
anxious  to  meet  Miss  Francis  alone.  Well,  she 
doesn't  want  to  be  met,  and  considering  their  faces 
I  sympathize  with  her  taste.  That's  all  we  know, 
and  until  we  can  find  out  something  more  there 


Bugg's  Strategy  125 

doesn't  seem  very  much  to  be  done.  We  must  just 
keep  Miss  Francis  properly  watched  and  guarded, 
and  see  if  we  can  pick  up  any  information  about  our 
pals  outside."  He  paused  again.  "I  think  it's 
just  on  the  cards  we  might  have  a  little  quiet  fun  with 
them  before  long,  Bugg,  "  he  added  pensively. 

Bugg  gave  an  appreciative  grin  and  nodded  his 
head.  "You  can  leave  the  watchin'  and  guardin' 
part  to  me,  sir.  They  won't  get  no  talk  with  the 
young  laidy — not  while  she's  in  this  'ouse. " 

"I  believe  you,  Bugg,"  said  Tony,  "and  to- 
morrow morning,  when  she  comes  to  Goodman's  Rest, 
you  might  walk  across  the  Heath  with  her."  He 
opened  the  gate  and  stepped  out  on  to  the  pave- 
ment. "Good-night,  "  he  added.  "I  shall  go  back 
to  bed  now.  To  be  really  successful  as  a  knight 
errant  one  requires  plenty  of  sleep.  " 

"Yes,  sir,"  said  Bugg.     "Good-night,  sir." 

It  was  exactly  a  quarter  to  eleven  by  the  big  oak 
clock  in  the  hall  when  Tony  re-entered  his  house. 
He  shut  the  front  door  behind  him,  and  walking 
across  looked  into  the  dining-room  and  study  to  see  if 
Guy  were  still  up.  Both  rooms  were  empty,  and 
he  was  just  on  the  point  of  going  upstairs  when  the 
silence  of  the  house  was  suddenly  broken  by  the 
sharp,  aggressive  ringing  of  a  bell. 

It  came  from  the  telephone  which  hung  beside  the 
mantelpiece  on  the  further  side  of  the  hall. 


CHAPTER  VIII 


AFFAIRS    IN    LIVADIA 


Tony  retraced  his  steps  and  took  down  the  receiver. 

"Hullo!"  he  said. 

"Hullo!"  came  back  a  silvery  answer.  "Is  that 
you,  Tony?" 

"  It  is.     Who's  speaking  ? ' ' 

"It's  me." 

"Really!"  said  Tony.  "Which  me?  I  know 
several  with  beautiful  voices.  " 

A  little  ripple  of  laughter  floated  down  the  wire. 
"Don't  be  funny,  Tony.  It's  Molly— Molly  Monk. 
I  want  to  see  you.  " 

"The  longing  is  a  mutual  one,"  observed  Tony. 
"I  was  just  going  to  bed,  but  it's  a  morbid  custom. 
Suppose  I  come  along  in  the  car  instead  and  take  you 
out  to  supper?" 

"I'd  love  it,"  answered  Molly  regretfully,  "but 
I'm  afraid  it  can't  be  done.  I  have  promised  to 
go  on  and  sing  at  one  of  Billy  Higginson's  evenings. 
He  is  the  only  composer  in  London  who  can  write  a 
tune."     She  paused.     "What  about  to-morrow?" 

"To-morrow,  "  said  Tony,  "is  also  a  day.  " 

"Well,  I  am  going  out  to  lunch,  but  I  do  want  to 

126 


Affairs  in  Livadia  127 

see  you  if  you  could  manage  it.  Couldn't  you  run 
over  in  the  car  and  look  me  up  some  time  in  the 
morning?  I'll  give  you  a  small  bottle  of  champagne 
if  you  will. " 

"I  don't  want  any  bribing, "  said  Tony  with  dig- 
nity.    "Is  it  good  champagne?" 

"Very  good,  "  said  Molly.  "It's  what  I  keep  for 
dramatic  critics. " 

' '  I  think  I  might  be  able  to  come  then.  What  is  it 
you  want  to  see  me  about?" 

"Oh,  I'll  tell  you  to-morrow,"  came  back  the 
answer.  "I  really  mustn't  stop  now  because  Daisy 
Grey's  waiting  for  me  in  her  car.  Thanks  so  much. 
It's  awfully  dear  of  you,  Tony.     Good-night.  " 

"Good-night,"  said  Tony,  and  replacing  the 
receiver  upon  its  hook,  he  resumed  his  interrupted 
progress  to  bed. 

It  was  just  after  half-past  ten  the  next  morning, 
when  Guy,  while  busily  engaged  in  drawing  up  a 
lease  in  his  office,  was  interrupted  by  a  knock  at  the 
door. 

"Come  in,"  he  called  out,  and  in  answer  to  his 
summons,  Tony,  w^earing  a  grey  plush  hat  and  motor- 
ing gloves,  sauntered  into  the  room.  He  looked 
round  with  an  air  of  leisurely  interest. 

' '  Good-morning,  Guy, ' '  he  said.  ' '  I  like  interrupt- 
ing you  at  this  time.  I  always  feel  I  am  throwing 
you  out  for  the  entire  day.  " 

Guy  laid  down  his  pen. 

"It's  a  harmless  delusion,  "  he  observed,  "and  if  it 
gets  you  out  of  bed " 


128         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"Oh,  that  didn't  get  me  out  of  bed.  It  was  an 
appointment  I  have  to  keep."  He  walked  across 
to  the  fireplace  and  helped  himself  to  a  cigarette 
from  a  box  on  the  mantlepiece.  "Are  you  feeling 
in  a  sympathetic  mood  this  morning,  Guy?" 

The  latter  shook  his  head.  "Not  particularly. 
Why?" 

Tony  struck  a  match.  "Well,  it's  like  this.  I 
have  invited  our  cousin  Isabel  to  come  round  and  see 
me,  and  now  I  find  myself  unexpectedly  compelled 
to  go  out.  What's  more  I  don't  know  how  long  it 
will  be  before  I  get  back. "  He  paused  and  looked 
at  Guy  with  a  mischievous  twinkle  in  his  eye.  * '  Do 
you  think  I  can  trust  you  to  be  kind  and  gentle  with 
her?" 

Guy  adjusted  his  pince-nez  and  looked  across  at 
Tony  with  some  sternness. 

"I  have  already  told  you,  Tony,  "  he  said,  "that  I 
disapprove  very  strongly  of  this  impossible  escapade 
of  yours.  You  don't  know  what  trouble  it  may 
lead  you  into.  For  a  man  who  wants  to  get  into 
Parliament  any  kind  of  scandal  is  absolutely 
fatal." 

"But  I  don't  want  to  go  into  Parliament,"  ob- 
jected Tony.  "I  am  doing  it  to  oblige  Henry,  and 
for  the  good  of  the  nation.  As  for  this — what  was 
the  beautiful  word  you  used,  Guy — 'escapade' — you 
surely  wouldn't  have  me  back  out  from  motives  of 
funk?" 

Guy  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "You  can  please 
yourself  about  it, "  he  said,  "but  it's  no  good  asking 


Affairs  in  Livadia  129 

me  to  help  you.  As  I've  told  you  before,  I  decline 
to  mix  myself  up  with  it  in  any  way.  " 

"But  you  can't,"  persisted  Tony;  "at  least  not 
without  being  horribly  rude.  I  have  introduced  you 
to  Isabel  and  she  thinks  you're  charming.  She  will 
be  sure  to  ask  for  you  when  she  hears  I  am  out. "  He 
paused.  "You  wouldn't  be  a  brute  to  her  would 
you,  Guy  ?  You  wouldn't  throw  her  out  of  the  house 
or  anything  like  that?" 

Guy's  lips  tightened.  "I  should  certainly  let  her 
see  that  I  disapproved  very  strongly  of  the  whole 
episode,"  he  said.  "Still  you  needn't  worry  about 
that,  because  I  have  not  the  least  intention  of  meet- 
ing her. " 

He  picked  up  his  pen  and  began  to  resume  his  work. 

"Yours  is  a  very  hard  nature,  Guy,"  said  Tony 
sadly.  ' '  I  think  it's  the  result  of  never  having  known 
a  woman's  love." 

To  this  Guy  did  not  condescend  to  answer,  and 
after  looking  at  him  for  a  moment  with  a  grieved 
expression,  Tony  sauntered  downstairs  to  the  front 
door. 

Outside  stood  the  Hispano-Suiza — a  long,  slim, 
venomous-looking  white  car — with  Jennings  in 
attendance.  Tony  stepped  in  and  took  possession  of 
the  wheel. 

"I  shall  probably  be  back  in  about  an  hour,  Jen- 
nings," he  said,  "and  very  likely  I  shall  be  going 
out  again  afterwards.  I  don't  know  which  car  I 
shall  want,  so  you  had  better  have  them  all  ready. " 

Jennings  touched  his  cap  with  the  expression  of  a 
9 


130         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

resigned  lemon  ice,  and  pressing  the  electric  starter 
Tony  glided  off  down  the  drive. 

He  reached  Basil  Mansions  just  on  the  stroke  of 
eleven.  Leaving  the  car  in  the  courtyard  he  walked 
across  to  Molly's  flat,  where  the  door  was  answered 
by  the  beautiful  French  maid,  who  looked  purer  than 
ever  in  the  healthy  morning  sunshine. 

As  he  entered  the  flat,  Molly  appeared  in  the  hall. 
She  was  wearing  a  loose  garment  of  green  silk, 
caught  together  at  the  waist  by  a  gold  girdle.  As  a 
breakfast  robe  it  erred  perhaps  on  the  side  of  the  fan- 
tastic, but  it  had  the  merit  of  showing  off  her  red  hair 
to  the  best  possible  advantage. 

"You  nice  old  thing,  Tony,"  she  said.  "I  know 
you  hate  getting  up  early,  too." 

"I  don't  mind  if  there  is  anything  to  get  up  for, " 
eaid  Tony.  ' '  It's  the  barrenness  of  the  morning  that 
puts  me  off  as  a  rule.  " 

Molly  slipped  her  bare  arm  through  his,  and  led 
him  into  the  sitting-room. 

' '  You  shall  open  the  champagne, ' '  she  said.  * '  That 
will  give  you  an  interest  in  life.  " 

She  brought  him  up  to  a  little  satin-wood  table,  on 
which  stood  a  silver  tray,  with  some  glasses  and  a 
couple  of  small  bottles  of  Heidsieek.  Tony  looked  at 
the  labels. 

"And  do  you  mean  to  say,"  he  remarked  a  little 
reproachfully,  "that  you  really  waste  this  on  dra- 
matic critics?" 

"I  give  them  the  choice,"  said  Molly  gravely. 
"They  can  either  have  that,  or  hold  my  hand.     So 


Affairs  in  Livadia  131 

far  they  have  always  chosen  the  champagne. "  She 
crossed  to  the  sofa  and  began  arranging  the  cushions, 
"Yank  out  the  cork,  Tony,"  she  added,  "and  then 
come  and  sit  beside  me.  I  want  you  to  give  me  some 
of  your  very  best  advice.  " 

Tony  obeyed  her  instructions,  and  filling  up  the 
two  glasses,  carried  the  tray  across  to  where  Molly 
was  reclining.  He  set  it  down  on  the  floor  within 
convenient  reach,  and  then  seated  himself  beside  her 
on  the  sofa. 

"What's  the  trouble?"  he  inquired  sympatheti- 
cally. 

Molly  lighted  herself  a  cigarette,  and  thoughtfully 
puffed  out  a  little  cloud  of  blue  smoke. 

"It's  Peter,"  she  said.  "Something  has  hap- 
pened to  him;  something  serious." 

"I  know  it  has,"  said  Tony.  "He  had  to  pay  me 
five  hundred  of  the  best  yesterday  morning." 

Molly  shook  her  head.  "It's  not  that,  "  she  said. 
"I  know  he  hates  being  beaten  at  anything;  but  it 
wouldn't  upset  him  in  the  way  I  mean."  She 
wriggled  herself  into  a  slightly  more  comfortable 
position.  "I've  got  a  notion  it's  something  much 
bigger, "  she  added. 

"Really!"  said  Tony  with  interest.  "What  are 
the  symptoms?" 

"Well,  he  was  coming  to  lunch  here  yesterday  at  a 
quarter  to  two,  and  he  rang  up  about  one  to  say  he 
might  be  a  little  late.  I  thought  his  voice  sounded 
a  bit  funny  over  the  'phone — you  see  I  know  Peter 
pretty  well  by  now — and  when  he  rolled  up  I  saw 


132         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

there  was  something  really  serious  the  matter.  The 
poor  old  dear  was  so  worried  and  excited  he  could 
hardly  eat  his  lunch," 

"Sounds  bad,  "  admitted  Tony.  "Nothing  but  a 
desperate  crisis  can  put  Royalty  off  their  food." 

Molly  nodded.  ' '  I  know.  I  thought  for  a  moment 
he  might  have  fallen  in  love  with  somebody  else,  but 
it  wasn't  that  either.  Something's  happened,  and 
unless  I'm  three  parts  of  an  idiot  it's  got  to  do  with 
Livadia." 

"How  exciting!"  observed  Tony.  "It  makes  me 
feel  like  a  secret  service  man  in  a  novel. ' '  He  paused. 
"Why  do  you  think  it's  Livadia  though?  It 
might " 

"If  it  wasn't  Livadia,"  interrupted  Molly,  "he'd 
have  told  me  all  about  it." 

"Why  didn't  you  ask  him?" 

Molly  shook  her  head.  "It's  no  good.  He  has 
promised  da  Freitas  never  to  talk  about  Livadian 
affairs  to  anybody,  and  he's  just  sufficiently  stupid  to 
keep  his  word  even  where  I'm  concerned.  Of  course 
I  could  get  it  out  of  him  sooner  or  later,  but  you  can't 
rush  Peter,  and  it's  a  question  of  time.  There's  some- 
thing going  on,  and  I  want  to  find  out  what  it  is  as 
quick  as  possible."  She  sat  up  and  looked  at  Tony. 
"That's  where  you  come  in,"  she  added. 

Tony  looked  at  her  in  mild  surprise.  "I  would 
love  to  help  you  if  I  could,  Molly,"  he  said,  "but 
I'm  afraid  that  any  lingering  charm  I  may  have  had 
for  your  Peter  vanished  with  that  five  hundred  quid 
he  had  to  fork  out  yesterday." 


Affairs  in  I>ivadia  133 

"You  can  help  me  all  right  if  you  will,"  said  Molly. 
She  paused.  "Do  you  remember  telling  me  once 
about  that  friend  of  yours — what's  his  name? — the 
boy  who  is  running  a  motor  business  in  Portriga?" 

The  dawn  of  an  understanding  began  to  flicker 
across  Tony's  face. 

"You  mean  Jimmy — Jimmy  Dale."  He  paused. 
"If  Jimmy  can  be  of  any  use  you  have  only  got  to 
say  so.  I  am  sure  he  will  do  anything  I  ask  him  short 
of  murdering  the  President." 

"It's  nothing  as  difficult  as  that,"  said  Molly. 
"I  only  want  him  to  write  me  a  letter."  She  bent 
forward  and  re-lit  her  cigarette  from  Tony's.  "You 
see  I  want  to  know  exactly  what's  happening  out 
in  Livadia.  I  am  sure  there's  trouble  on,  or  Peter 
wouldn't  be  so  upset,  and  a  man  actually  living 
in  Portriga  ought  to  be  able  to  tell  one  some- 
thing." 

' '  Jimmy  ought  to,  "  said  Tony.  ' '  He  is  by  way  of 
being  rather  a  pal  of  the  President.  He  sold  him  a 
second-hand  Rolls-Royce  last  year  for  a  sort  of  state 
coach,  and  the  old  boy  was  so  pleased  with  his  bar- 
gain he  quite  took  Jimmy  up.  They  seemed  to  be  as 
thick  as  thieves  last  time  I  had  a  letter — about 
three  months  ago."  He  paused  to  finish  his  cham- 
pagne. "By  the  way,"  he  added,  "I  don't  believe 
I  have  ever  answered  it. " 

"You  never  do  answer  letters,"  said  Molly. 
"That's  why  I  always  telephone."  She  got  up,  and 
walking  across  to  a  small  satin-wood  bureau,  took  out 
a  sheet  of  paper  and  an  envelope.     "Be  a  darling 


134        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

and  answer  it  now, "  she  went  on.     "Then  you  can 
ask  what  I  want  at  the  same  time." 

Tony  rose  in  a  leisurely  manner  from  the  sofa,  and 
coming  up  to  where  she  was  standing,  seated  himself 
in  the  chair  which  she  had  placed  in  readiness.  Then 
he  picked  up  the  pen  and  examined  it  with  some 
disapproval. 

"I  shall  ink  my  fingers,"  he  said.  "I  always  do 
unless  I  have  a  Waterman." 

"Nevermind,"  said  Molly.  "It's in  a  good  cause, 
and  I'll  wash  them  for  you  afterwards." 

Tony  gazed  thoughtfully  at  the  paper,  and  then 
placing  his  cigarette  on  the  inkstand  in  front  of  him 
bent  over  the  desk  and  set  about  his  task.  Molly 
returned  to  the  sofa,  and  for  a  few  minutes  except 
for  the  scratching  of  the  nib,  and  an  occasional  sigh 
from  the  writer,  a  profound  silence  brooded  over  the 
boudoir. 

At  last,  with  an  air  of  some  relief,  Tony  threw 
down  the  pen,  and  turned  round  in  his  chair. 

"How  will  this  do?"  he  asked. 

My  dear  James: 

I  have  been  meaning  to  answer  your  last  letter  for 
several  months,  but  somehow  or  other  I  can  never  settle 
down  to  serious  work  in  the  early  spring.  I  was  very 
pleased  to  hear  that  you  are  still  alive,  and  mixing  in  such 
good  society.  I  have  never  met  any  presidents  myself, 
but  I  always  picture  them  as  stout,  elderly  men  with 
bowler  hats  and  red  sashes  round  their  waists.  If  yours 
isn't  like  this,  don't  tell  me.  I  hate  to  have  my  illusions 
shattered. 


Affairs  in  Livadia  135 

I  wish  anyway  that  you  would  come  back  to  London. 
You  were  the  only  friend  I  ever  had  that  I  could  be 
certain  of  beating  at  billiards,  and  you  have  no  right  to 
bury  a  talent  like  that  in  the  wilds  of  Livadia. 

If  you  will  come  soon  you  can  do  me  a-good  turn.  I 
am  thinking  of  opening  a  garage  in  Piccadilly  on 
entirely  new  lines,  and  I  want  someone  to  manage  it  for 
me.  The  idea  would  be  that  customers  could  put  up  their 
cars  there,  and  when  they  came  to  fetch  them  they  would 
find  their  tools  and  gasoline  absolutely  untouched.  I 
am  sure  it  would  be  a  terrific  success  just  on  account  of  its 
novelty.  We  would  call  it  "The  Sign  of  the  Eighth 
Commandment, "  and  we  should  be  able  to  charge  fairly 
high  prices,  because  people  would  be  so  dazed  at  finding 
they  hadn't  been  robbed  that  they  would  never  notice 
what  we  were  asking.  I  am  quite  serious  about  this, 
Jimmy,  so  come  along  back  at  once  before  the  Livadians 
further  corrupt  your  natural  dishonesty. 

Talking  of  Livadia,  there  is  something  I  want  you  to 
do  for  me  before  you  leave.  I  have  a  young  and  beautiful 
friend  who  takes  a  morbid  interest  in  your  local  politics, 
and  she  is  extremely  anxious  to  know  exactly  what  is 
happening  out  there  at  the  present  time.  1  told  her  that 
if  there  was  any  really  promising  villainy  in  the  offing 
you  would  be  sure  to  know  all  about  it,  so  don't  destroy 
the  good  impression  of  you  I  have  taken  the  trouble  to 
give  her.  Sit  down  and  write  me  a  nice,  bright,  chatty 
letter  telling  me  who  is  going  to  be  murdered  next  and 
when  it's  coming  off,  and  then  pack  up  your  things,  shake 
the  dust  of  Portriga  off  your  boots  (if  you  still  wear  boots) 
and  come  home  to 

Your  friend  and  partner, 

Tony. 


136         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"That's  very  nice,"  said  Molly  critically.  "I 
had  no  idea  you  could  write  such  a  good  letter." 

"Nor  had  I,"  said  Tony.  "I  am  always  sur- 
prising myself  with  my  own  talents." 

There  was  a  short  pause. 

"What's  Jimmy  like?"  asked  Molly. 

Tony  addressed  the  envelope  and  proceeded  to 
fasten  it  up.  "He  is  quite  charming,"  he  said. 
"He  is  chubby  and  round,  and  he  talks  in  a  little 
gentle  whisper  like  a  small  child.  He  can  drink 
fourteen  whiskies  without  turning  a  hair,  and  I 
don't  believe  he  has  ever  lost  his  temper  in  his  life." 

"He  sounds  a  dear, "  said  Molly.  "I  wonder  you 
let  him  go." 

"I  couldn't  help  it,"  said  Tony  sadly.  "He  has 
some  extraordinary  objection  to  borrowing  from  his 
friends,  and  he  owed  so  much  to  everyone  else  that 
he  had  to  go  away." 

"I  wonder  if  he  will  answer  the  letter,"  said  Molly. 

Tony  got  up  with  the  envelope  in  his  hand.  "You 
can  be  sure  of  that.  Jimmy  always  answers  letters. 
We  shall  hear  from  him  in  less  than  a  week  and  I'll 
come  round  and  see  you  at  once."  He  looked  at  his 
watch.  "I  am  afraid  I  must  be  off  now,  Molly. 
I  have  a  very  important  engagement  with  a  bishop." 

"Rot,"  returned  Molly.  "Bishops  never  get  up 
till  the  middle  of  the  day." 

"This  one  does,"  said  Tony.  "He  suffers  from 
insomnia." 

Molly  laughed,  and  putting  her  hands  on  his 
shoulders,  stood  up  on  tip-toe  and  kissed  him. 


Affairs  in  Livadia  137 

"Well,  don't  tell  him  about  that,"  she  said,  "or 
he  might  be  jealous." 

It  was  exactly  on  the  stroke  of  twelve  as  Tony's 
car  swung  in  again  through  the  gate  of  Goodman's 
Rest,  and  came  to  a  standstill  outside  the  front  door. 

Leaving  it  where  it  was,  he  walked  into  the  hall 
and  rang  the  bell,  which  was  answered  almost  im- 
mediately by  Spalding. 

"Has  Miss  Francis  arrived  yet?"  he  asked. 

Spalding  inclined  his  head.  "Yes,  Sir  Antony. 
She  is  in  the  garden."  He  paused.  "Mr.  Oliver 
is  with  her,  "  he  added. 

Tony  looked  up  in  some  surprise.  "Mr.  Oliver!" 
he  repeated .     * '  What  'she  doing  ? ' ' 

"I  heard  him  say  he  would  show  her  the  ranunculi, 
sir,"  explained  Spalding  impassively. 

Tony  turned  towards  the  study,  the  window  of 
which  opened  out  on  to  the  lawn.  The  thought  of 
Isabel  at  the  solitary  mercy  of  Guy  filled  him  with 
sudden  concern.  The  latter  had  evidently  changed 
his  mind  about  seeing  her,  and  had  doubtless  taken 
her  into  the  garden  to  express  the  disapproval  he  had 
so  sternly  enunciated  that  morning. 

Reaching  the  French  window,  however,  Tony  came 
to  a  sudden  halt.  The  sight  that  met  his  eyes  was, 
under  the  circumstances,  a  distinctly  arresting  one. 
Half-way  down  the  lawn  was  a  small  almond  tree,  its 
slender  branches  just  then  a  delicate  tracery  of  pink 
and  white  loveliness.  Guy  and  Isabel  were  standing 
in  front  of  this  in  an  attitude  which  suggested  any- 
thing but  the  conclusion  of  a  strained  and  painful 


138         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

interview.  Isabel  was  looking  up  at  the  blossoms 
with  her  lips  parted  in  a  smile  of  sheer  delight.  A 
few  paces  off,  Guy  was  watching  her  with  an  expres- 
sion of  earnest  admiration  almost  as  striking  as  that 
which  she  was  wasting  upon  the  almond  tree. 

For  perhaps  a  couple  of  seconds,  Tony  stood 
motionless  taking  in  the  unexpected  tableau.  Then 
with  a  faint  chuckle  he  pulled  out  his  case  and 
thoughtfully  lighted  himself  a  cigarette. 

As  he  did  so,  Guy  stepped  forward  to  the  tree,  and 
breaking  off  a  little  cluster  of  blossom  rather  clumsily 
offered  it  to  Isabel.  She  took  the  gift  with  a  graceful 
little  gesture,  like  that  of  a  princess  accepting  the 
natural  homage  of  a  subject,  and  smiling  her  thanks 
as  Guy  proceeded  to  fasten  it  in  her  dress. 

It  seemed  to  Tony  that  this  was  a  very  favourable 
moment  for  making  his  appearance.  He  opened  the 
glass  door,  and  walking  down  the  steps,  sauntered 
quietly  towards  them  across  the  lawn. 

They  both  heard  him  at  the  same  instant,  and 
turned  quickly  round.  Isabel  gave  a  little  exclama- 
tion of  pleased  surprise,  while  Guy's  face  assumed 
a  sudden  expression  of  embarrassment  that  filled 
Tony  with  delight.  He  looked  at  them  gravely  for 
a  moment,  and  then  lifting  up  Isabel's  hand  lightly 
kissed  the  pink  tip  of  one  of  her  fingers. 

"Good-morning,  Cousin  Isabel,"  he  said.  "I  am 
sorry  to  be  late.  I  hope  Guy  hasn't  been  unkind  to 
you." 

"Unkind!"  repeated  Isabel,  opening  her  eyes. 
"Why  he  has  been  charming.     He  has  been  showing 


Affairs  in  Livadia  139 

me  the  garden. ' '  She  looked  across  at  Guy  with  that 
frank,  curiously  attractive  smile  of  hers.  "I  don't 
think  we  have  quarrelled  once,  have  we,  Mr.  Guy?" 

"Certainly  not,"  said  Guy  with  what  seemed 
unnecessary  warmth. 

"I  am  so  glad,  "  observed  Tony  contentedly.  "It 
always  distresses  me  when  relations  can't  get  on 
together. ' '  He  let  go  Isabel's  hand  and  looked  at  his 
watch.  "How  do  you  feel  about  a  run  in  the  car?" 
he  inquired.  ' '  It's  just  ten  minutes  past  twelve  now, 
and  we  could  get  to  Cookham  comfortably  for  lunch 
by  one  o'clock. " 

"I  should  love  it,"  said  Isabel  gaily.  "I  don't 
know  in  the  least  where  Cookham  is,  but  it  sounds  a 
splendid  place  to  lunch  at." 

Tony  looked  at  her  with  approval.  "I  am  glad 
you  like  making  bad  puns,  Isabel,"  he  said.  "It's 
a  sure  sign  of  a  healthy  and  intelligent  mind." 

He  led  the  way  round  to  the  front  of  the  house, 
where  they  found  the  Hispano-Suiza  still  decorating 
the  drive,  with  Jennings  bending  over  the  open 
bonnet.  The  chauffeur  looked  up  and  grudgingly 
touched  his  cap  as  they  approached. 

"Came  down  to  see  if  you  would  be  wanting 
either  of    he  other  cars,  "  he  observed. 

"What  do  you  think,  Isabel?"  inquired  Tony. 
"Will  this  do,  or  would  you  rather  have  something 
more  comfortable  ? ' ' 

She  glanced  with  admiration  over  the  tapering  lines 
of  the  slim  racing  body.  "Oh,  let's  have  this  one," 
she  said.     "I  love  to  go  fast." 


140        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Guy  gave  a  slight  shudder.  "For  goodness'  sake 
don't  say  that  to  Tony.  It's  a  direct  encouragement 
to  suicide." 

Isabel  laughed  cheerfully.  She  seemed  quite  a 
different  person  from  the  highly  strung,  frightened 
girl  whom  Tony  had  rescued  in  Long  Acre. 

She  buttoned  her  coat,  and  stepped  lightly  into  the 
seat  alongside  of  Tony,  who  had  already  taken  his 
place  at  the  wheel. 

"As  a  matter  of  cold  truth,  "  he  observed,  "I  am 
a  very  careful  driver.  If  there's  likely  to  be  trouble 
I  never  run  any  unnecessary  risks,  do  I,  Jen- 
nings?" 

"I  can't  say,  sir,"  replied  Jennings  sourly.  "I 
always  shuts  me  eyes. " 

Isabel  laughed  again  and  settling  herself  comfort- 
ably back  in  the  seat,  waved  her  hand  to  Guy  as  the 
car  slid  off  down  the  drive. 

Tony  always  drove  well,  but  like  most  good 
drivers  he  had  his  particular  days.  This  was 
certainly  one  of  them.  During  the  earlier  part  of 
the  journey,  from  Hampstead  to  Hammersmith, 
his  progress  verged  upon  the  miraculous.  The  His- 
pano  glided  in  and  out  of  the  traffic  like  some  slim 
white  premiere  danseuse  threading  her  way  through 
the  mazes  of  a  ballet,  the  applause  of  an  audience 
being  supplied  by  the  occasional  compliments  from 
startled  bus-drivers  which  floated  after  them  through 
the  receding  air. 

Isabel  seemed  to  enjoy  it  all  immensely.  She 
had  evidently  spoken  the  truth  when  she  said  she 


Affairs  in  Livadia  141 

was  not  nervous  "in  that  way,"  for  the  most  hair- 
breadth escapes  failed  to  disturb  her  serenity.  She 
had  the  good  sense  not  to  talk  much  until  they  were 
clear  of  the  worst  part  of  the  traffic,  but  after  that  she 
chatted  away  to  Tony  with  practically  no  trace  of 
the  embarrassment  and  shyness  that  she  had  hither- 
to displayed.  Whatever  her  mysterious  troubles 
might  be,  she  seemed  for  the  time  to  have  succeeded 
in  throwing  them  off  her  mind. 

There  being  no  particular  hurry,  and  thinking 
that  Isabel  would  enjoy  the  drive,  Tony  did  not  take 
the  direct  road  for  Maidenhead.  He  crossed  Ham- 
mersmith Bridge  and  turned  off  into  Richmond  Park, 
which  just  then  was  in  all  the  fresh  green  beauty  of  its 
new  spring  costume. 

They  were  three-quarters  of  the  way  through  and 
were  rapidly  approaching  the  town,  when  quite 
suddenly  Isabel,  who  up  till  then  had  apparently 
been  taking  little  notice  of  where  they  were  going, 
broke  off  abruptly  in  the  middle  of  what  she  was 
saying. 

"Why!"  she  stammered;  "isn't — isn't  this  Rich- 
mond Park?" 

Tony  looked  at  her  in  mild  surprise.  "Yes, "  he 
said.  "I  came  round  this  way  for  the  sake  of  the 
run."  He  paused.  "What's  the  matter?"  he  added, 
for  all  the  colour  and  animation  had  died  out  of  her 
face. 

"I — I'd  rather  not  go  through  Richmond,"  she 
faltered,  "if — if  it's  all  the  same  to  you. " 

Tony  slackened  down  the  pace  to  a  mere  crawl. 


142        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"Why  of  course,"  he  said.  "We  will  do  exactly 
what  you  like.     I  didn't  know " 

The  sentence  was  never  finished.  With  a  sudden 
little  gasp  Isabel  shrank  back  in  the  car,  cowering 
against  him  almost  as  if  she  had  been  struck. 

The  cause  of  her  alarm  was  not  difficult  to  dis- 
cover. A  well-dressed  elderly  man  who  had  been 
walking  slowly  towards  them  with  his  head  down,  had 
suddenly  pulled  up  in  the  roadway  and  was  staring 
at  her  in  a  sort  of  incredulous  amazement.  Although 
Tony  had  only  seen  him  once  before,  he  recognized 
him  immediately.  It  was  the  agitated  gentleman 
who  had  been  talking  to  Da  Freitas  in  the  hall  of  the 
Club  on  the  previous  morning. 

For  perhaps  a  second  he  remained  planted  in  the 
road  apparently  paralysed  with  amazement:  then 
with  a  sudden  hoarse  exclamation  of  "Isabella!"  he 
took  a  swift  stride  towards  the  car. 

Isabel  clutched  Tony  by  the  arm. 

"Go  on,"  she  whispered  faintly. 

"Stop,  sir!"  bellowed  the  stranger,  and  with 
surprising  agility  for  one  of  his  age  and  dignified 
appearance,  he  hopped  upon  the  step  and  caught 
hold  of  the  door. 

Tony  didn't  wait  for  any  further  instructions. 
Freeing  his  arm  quietly  from  Isabel  he  leaned  across 
the  car,  and  with  a  sudden  swift  thrust  in  the  chest 
sent  the  intruder  sprawling  in  the  roadway. 

At  the  same  moment  he  jammed  on  the  acceler- 
ator, and  the  well-trained  Hispano  leaped  forward 
like  a  greyhound  from  its  leash. 


CHAPTER  IX 

A    RUN-AWAY    QUEEN 

A  MORBID  regard  for  the  exact  speed  limit  was 
never  one  of  Tony's  failings,  and  he  covered  the 
short  distance  that  separated  them  from  the  end  of 
the  park  in  what  was  probably  a  record  time  for 
that  respectable  stretch  of  fairway. 

He  slackened  down  a  little  on  reaching  the  gates, 
but  as  luck  would  have  it  there  was  no  one  about 
to  obstruct  his  progress,  and  in  a  graceful  curve  he 
swept  out  on  to  the  main  road. 

Then  with  a  laugh  he  turned  to  Isabel. 

"I  love  going  about  with  you,  Isabel,"  he  said. 
"One  never  knows  what's  going  to  happen  next." 

She  made  no  answer,  but  rising  slightly  in  her 
seat  cast  a  quick,  frightened  glance  over  her  shoulder 
as  if  to  see  whether  they  were  being  followed. 

"It's  quite  all  right,"  went  on  Tony  comfortingly. 
"I  don't  know  who  your  friend  is,  but  we  shan't  be 
seeing  him  again  to-day." 

"That,"  said  Isabel  faintly — "that  was  my 
uncle." 

"Really!"  said  Tony.  "He  seems  very  impul- 
sive." 

He  paused  for  a  moment  while  the  Hispano  neatly 

143 


144        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

negotiated  a  rather  dazzled-looking  cluster  of  pedes- 
trians, and  then  turning  again  to  his  companion  he 
added  consoHngly:  "Don't  let  it  worry  you,  Isabel. 
Lots  of  charming  people  have  eccentric  uncles." 

She  made  a  little  protesting  gesture  with  her 
hands.  "Oh,  no,  no,"  she  said  almost  piteously, 
"I  can't  go  on  like  this.  I  must  tell  you  the  whole 
truth.  I  ought  to  have  done  so  right  at  the  begin- 
ning." 

"Just  as  you  like,"  replied  Tony,  "but  hadn't 
we  better  wait  till  we  have  had  some  food.  It's 
so  much  easier  to  tell  the  truth  after  a  good  meal." 

She  nodded  rather  forlornly,  and  without  wasting 
any  further  discussion  on  the  matter,  Tony  turned 
away  to  the  right  and  headed  off  in  the  direction 
of  Cookham.  He  continued  to  talk  away  to  Isabel 
in  his  easy,  unruffled  fashion  exactly  as  if  nothing 
unusual  had  occurred,  and  by  the  end  of  the  first 
mile  or  so  she  had  pulled  herself  together  sufficiently 
to  answer  him  back  with  quite  a  passable  imitation 
of  her  former  good  spirits.  All  the  same  it  was 
easy  to  see  that  underneath  this  apparent  cheerful- 
ness she  was  in  almost  as  nervous  a  state  as  when 
he  had  first  met  her  in  Long  Acre. 

They  reached  Cookham,  and  slowing  down  as  the 
car  entered  its  pleasant,  straggling  main  street,  Tony 
turned  into  the  courtyard  of  the  Dragon.  A  large, 
sombre-looking  dog  attached  to  a  chain  greeted  his 
appearance  with  vociferous  approval;  a  welcome 
which,  in  spirit  at  all  events^  was  handsomely  sec- 
onded by  the  smiling  proprietress,  who  a  moment 


A  Run-Away  Queen  145 

later  made  her  appearance  through  the  side 
door.  Tony  was  distinctly  popular  at  riverside 
hotels. 

"How  do  you  do,  Miss  Brown?"  he  said. 

"Very  well,  thank  you.  Sir  Antony,"  she  replied. 
"And  you,  sir?     Lie  down." 

The  latter  observation  was  addressed  to  the  dog. 

"I  am  suffering  from  hunger,"  observed  Tony. 
"Do  you  think  you  can  make  any  nice  suggestion 
about  lunch?" 

The  landlady  paused  reflectively. 

"I  can  give  you,"  she  said,  "some  trout,  a  roast 
duckling,  and  marrow  on  toast." 

Tony  looked  at  her  for  a  moment  in  speech- 
less admiration.  "My  dear  Miss  Brown,"  he 
said,  "that  isn't  a  suggestion.  That's  an  outburst 
of  poetry."  He  turned  to  Isabel  apologetically. 
"Roast  duckling,"  he  explained,  "is  one  of  the  few 
things  that  make  me  really  excited." 

She  laughed — a  little  gay,  frank,  natural  laugh 
that  Tony  was  delighted  to  hear.  "I  think  all 
men  are  greedy,"  she  said.  "At  least  all  the  men 
I've  ever  known  have  been." 

Tony  nodded.  "It's  one  of  the  original  instincts 
of  humanity,"  he  observed  thoughtfully.  "We 
have  to  be  greedy  in  self-defence.  A  man  who  isn't 
is  bound  to  be  beaten  by  a  man  who  is.  It's  what 
Darwin  calls  the  survival  of  the  fattest."  He 
turned  back  to  the  landlady  who  had  been  listening 
to  him  with  a  placid  smile.  "Send  us  a  couple 
of  cocktails   into    the   dining-room,  will  you,  Miss 


146        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Brown,"  he  said.  "It  would  be  wicked  to  rush  at  a 
lunch  like  that  without  any  preparation." 

All  through  the  meal,  which  was  served  in  a  pleas- 
ant room  looking  out  into  a  quaint  old  courtyard 
garden  at  the  back,  Tony  kept  the  conversation  in 
the  same  strain  of  impersonal  philosophy.  It  was 
not  until  the  marrow  on  toast  had  gone  the  way 
of  all  beautiful  earthly  things  that  he  made  any 
reference  to   Isabel's  promised  revelation. 

"What  do  you  say  to  having  coffee  outside?"  he 
suggested.  "There's  a  nice  place  where  we  can  sit 
in  the  sun  and  you  can  tell  me  about  your  uncle. 
One  should  never  discuss  one's  relations  in  a  public 
dining-room. " 

Isabel  contented  herself  with  a  nod,  and  after 
giving  their  instructions  to  the  waiter,  they  strolled 
out  through  the  open  French  window,  and  made 
their  way  to  a  rustic  bench  at  the  farther  end  of  the 
garden. 

It  was  a  delightfully  warm,  peaceful  spring 
day,  and  the  perfume  of  the  hyacinths  and  daffo- 
dils that  were  in  full  bloom  almost  overpowered 
the  slight  odour  of  petrol  from  the  neighbouring 
garage. 

"It's  a  curious  coincidence,"  observed  Tony,  as 
the  waiter  retired  after  placing  their  coffee  on  a 
small  table  beside  them,  "but  as  a  matter  of  fact  I 
feel  in  exactly  the  right  frame  of  mind  for  listening 
to  the  truth.  I  expect  it's  that  bottle  of  burgundy 
we  had." 

He  struck  a  match  and  held  it  out  to  Isabel,  who, 


A  Run-Away  Queen  147 

bending  forward,  lighted  the  cigarette  which  she  had 
been  twisting  about  between  her  fingers. 

"It's — it's  dreadfully  difficult  to  tell  things,"  she 
said,  sitting  up  and  looking  at  him  rather  helplessly. 
"I  haven't  the  least  notion  how  to  begin." 

"Of  course  it's  difficult,"  said  Tony.  "Nothing 
requires  so  much  practice  as  telling  the  truth.  It's 
against  every  civilized  impulse  in  human  nature." 
He  paused.  "Suppose  we  try  the  catechism  idea 
for  a  start.  I  ask  you  'what  is  your  name?'  and 
you  say  'Isabel  Francis.'" 

She  shook  her  head.  "But — but  it  isn't,"  she 
faltered.  "It's — it's  Isabella,  and  there  are  about 
eight  other  names  after  it." 

Tony  looked  at  her  in  surprise.  "Why  that's 
exactly  the  complaint  I  am  suffering  from.  I  thought 
it  was  peculiar  to  baronets  and  superfluous  people  of 
that  sort. " 

"Well,  the  fact  is,"  began  Isabel;  then  she  stopped. 
"Oh,  I  know  it  sounds  too  utterly  silly,"  she  went 
on  with  a  sort  of  hurried  desperation,  "but  you  see 
the  fact  is  I — I'm  a  queen." 

She  brought  out  the  last  three  words  as  if  she  were 
confessing  some  peculiarly  shameful  family  secret. 

Tony  slowly  removed  his  cigarette  from  his  lips. 

"A  what?''  he  inquired. 

"Well,  not  exactly  a  queen,"  said  Isabel,  correct- 
ing herself  hastily.  "In  a  way  I  am,  you  know.  I 
mean  I  ought  to  be.  At  least  that's  what  they  say." 
She  broke  off  in  a  charming  confusion  that  made  her 
look  prettier  than  ever. 


148        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Tony  leaned  back  in  the  seat  and  contemplated  her 
with  deep  enjoyment. 

"You  grow  more  perfect  every  minute,  Cousin 
Isabel,"  he  said.  "Don't  hurry  yourself,  but  just 
tell  me  quite  slowly  and  deliberately  who  you  really 
are." 

Isabel  took  a  long  breath.  "My  father  was  Don 
Francisco  of  Livadia,  and  some  people  say  I  ought  to 
be  the  queen." 

Tony  was  not  easily  surprised,  but  for  once  in  his 
life  he  sat  up  as  if  he  had  been  struck  by  an  elec- 
tric shock.  Even  his  trusty  powers  of  speech  were 
temporarily  numbed. 

He  had  of  course  heard  of  Don  Francisco — that 
persistent  gentleman  who  for  twenty  years  had  in- 
dulged in  spasmodic  and  ineffectual  efforts  to  wrest 
the  throne  of  Livadia  from  Pedro's  father.  But  that 
Isabel  should  be  his  daughter,  and  what  was  more 
the  apparently  recognized  heir  to  his  royal  claims, 
was  one  of  those  staggering  surprises  for  which  the 
English  language  contains  no  adequate  comment. 

For  a  moment  he  remained  gazing  at  her  in  the 
blankest  astonishment;  then  the  full  humour  of  the 
situation  suddenly  came  home  to  him,  and  he  broke 
into  a  long  chuckle  of  delighted  amusement. 

Isabel  watched  him  sympathetically  out  of  her 
amber  eyes. 

"It's  quite  true,"  she  said.  "I  know  it  sounds 
absurd,  but  it's  quite  true." 

"I  don't  think  it's  the  least  absurd,"  said  Tony, 
who  had  now  completely  recovered  his  normal  com- 


A  Run-Away  Queen  149 

posure.  ' '  I  think  it's  the  most  beautifully  reasonable 
thing  that's  ever  happened.  Of  course  you  are  a 
queen,  or  ought  to  be  a  queen.  I  felt  that  the  mo- 
ment I  met  you."  He  paused,  and  taking  out  his 
case  lighted  himself  a  fresh  cigarette.  "It  was  the 
Livadian  part  of  the  business  that  knocked  me  out 
so  completely,  "  he  explained. 

Isabel  nodded  her  head.  "I  know, "  she  said.  "I 
heard  you  say  that  you  knew  Pedro  and  Da  Freitas. 
That  was  one  of  the  things  that  made  me  feel  I  ought 
to  tell  you. " 

"It  only  shows,"  remarked  Tony  with  quiet 
satisfaction,  "that  the  Early  Christian  Fathers  were 
quite  right.  If  one  has  faith  and  patience  one 
generally  gets  what  one  wants  sooner  or  later.  All 
my  life  I  have  had  a  secret  craving  to  be  mixed  up 
in  some  really  high-class  conspiracy;  with  kings  and 
queens  and  bombs  and  wonderful  mysterious  people 
crawling  about  trying  to  assassinate  each  other.  I 
was  just  beginning  to  be  afraid  that  all  that  kind  of 
thing  was  extinct."  He  drew  in  a  long  mouthful  of 
smoke,  and  let  it  filter  out  luxuriously  into  the  still, 
warm  air.  ' '  How  very  fortunate  I  happened  to  be  in 
Long  Acre,  wasn't  it?" 

"I  am  so  glad  you  feel  like  that,"  said  Isabel 
happily.  "I  was  afraid  you  wouldn't  want  to  help 
me  any  more  when  you  knew  all  about  it.  " 

"But  I  don't  know  all  about  it  yet,"  objected 
Tony.  "Hadn't  you  better  begin  right  at  the  begin- 
ning and  tell  me  everything?" 

For  a  moment  Isabel  hesitated. 


150        The  Lady  from  I>ong  Acre 

"Well,"  she  said  slowly.  "I  suppose  that  what 
you  would  call  the  beginning — the  real  beginning — 
was  a  long  time  before  I  was  bom.  You  see  my 
grandfather  always  had  an  idea  that  he  ought  to  be 
king  of  Livadia,  because  he  said  there  was  something 
wrong  about  somebody's  marriage  or  something  back 
in  sixteen  hundred  and  fifty — at  least  I  think  that 
was  the  date." 

"It  was  a  very  careless  century,  "  said  Tony. 

"Hedidn't  bother  much  about  it  himself, "  went  on 
Isabel,  "because  he  hated  Livadia  and  liked  to  live  in 
Paris  or  London.  Besides  I  think  they  made  him  an 
allowance  to  keep  out  of  the  country.  Father  was 
quite  different.  He  always  wanted  to  be  a  king, 
and  directly  my  grandfather  died,  he  started  doing 
everything  he  could  to  get  what  he  called  'his 
rights.'" 

"I  can  never  understand  any  intelligent  man 
wanting  to  be  a  king, "  observed  Tony  thoughtfully. 
' '  One  would  have  to  associate  entirely  with  successful 
people,  and  they  are  always  so  horribly  busy  and 
conceited. " 

"But  father  wasn't  intelligent,"  explained  Isabel, 
"not  in  the  least  little  bit.  He  was  just  obstinate. 
He  was  quite  certain  he  ought  to  be  a  king,  and  you 
know  when  you  are  quite  certain  about  a  thing  your- 
self, however  silly  it  is,  there  are  always  lots  of 
others  who  will  agree  with  you."  She  paused. 
"Besides, "  she  went  on,  "after  the  old  King  died  and 
Pedro's  father  came  to  the  throne,  things  were  quite 
different  in  Livadia.     The  taxes  went  on  going  up 


A  Run-Away  Queen  151 

and  up,  and  the  country  kept  on  getting  poorer  and 
poorer,  until  at  last  a  certain  number  of  people  began 
to  wonder  whether  it  wouldn't  be  better  to  have  a 
change.  I  don't  think  they  thought  much  of  father. 
I  suppose  they  just  felt  he  couldn't  be  worse  any- 
how." 

"I  like  your  historical  sense,  Isabel,"  observed 
Tony.     "It's  so  free  from  prejudice.  " 

Isabel  accepted  the  compliment  with  perfect 
simplicity.  "You  see  I  knew  father,"  she  said 
frankly.  "He  would  have  made  a  very  bad  king; 
he  was  always  getting  intoxicated.  " 

Tony  nodded.  "Nearly  all  exiled  monarchs  are 
addicted  to  drink.  They  find  it  necessary  to  keep  up 
their  enthusiasm. " 

"But  it  wasn't  only  a  question  of  drinking  in 
father's  case,"  went  on  Isabel.  "People  wouldn't 
have  minded  that  very  much;  you  see  they  are  so 
used  to  it  in  Livadia.  It  was  the  way  he  quarrelled 
with  everyone  afterwards  that  spoilt  his  chances. 
At  one  time  he  had  almost  as  big  a  following  as  the 
King,  but  after  a  bit  most  of  them  gave 'him  up  as 
hopeless.  Then  someone  started  the  idea  of  a 
Republic.  It  was  quite  a  small  party  at  first,  but 
people  drifted  into  it  gradually  from  both  sides  until 
in  the  end  it  was  the  strongest  of  the  three.  Father 
wouldn't  give  up  for  a  long  time.  He  was  a  fright- 
fully obstinate  man,  and  I  don't  think  he  knew  what 
it  meant  to  be  afraid.  That  was  one  of  his  best 
points.  He  kept  on  until  nearly  everyone  who  stuck 
to  him  had  been  killed,  and  then  at  last  he  got  badly 


152        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

wounded  himself,  and  only  just  managed  to  escape 
over  the  frontier. " 

"And  what  were  you  doing  all  this  crowded  time? " 
inquired  Tony. 

"I, "  said  Isabel,  "oh,  I  was  living  in  Paris  with  my 
governess,  Miss  Watson. " 

"What — the  missing  lady  of  Long  Acre?" 

Isabel  nodded.  "She  looked  after  me  for  fifteen 
years.  You  see,  father  had  spent  a  good  deal  of  time 
in  London  when  he  was  young,  and  he  always  sai-d 
that  English  women  were  the  only  ones  you  could 
trust  because  they  were  so  cold.  So  when  my 
mother  died,  he  engaged  Miss  Watson  and  put  me 
in  her  charge  altogether.  " 

"Judging  by  the  results,"  observed  Tony,  "it 
seems  to  have  been  a  happy  choice. " 

"She's  a  dear,"  said  Isabel  with  enthusiasm,  "an 
absolute  dear.  I  don't  know  what  I  should  have 
been  like  without  her,  because  father  always  insisted 
on  his  own  people  treating  me  as  if  I  was  a  real 
princess,  and  we  never  saw  any  one  else.  If  it  hadn't 
been  for  her,  I  should  probably  have  believed  every- 
thing they  told  me. "  She  paused  for  a  moment  as 
though  reflecting  on  this  narrow  but  fortunate  escape, 
and  then  straightening  herself  in  the  seat,  she  added: 
"I  was  really  quite  happy  until  Uncle  Philip  sent  her 
away." 

' '  Is  Uncle  Philip  our  impetuous  friend  of  Richmond 
Park?"  inquired  Tony. 

"That's  him,"  said  Isabel,  with  a  queenly  dis- 
regard for  grammar.     "He  is  my  mother's  brother, 


A  Run-Away  Queen  153 

and  his  real  name  is  the  Count  de  Se.  He  came  to 
live  with  us  in  Paris  after  father  was  wounded.  He 
is  a  nasty,  mean,  hateful  sort  of  man,  but  father  liked 
him  because  he  was  the  only  person  left  who  treated 
him  like  a  king.  Poor  father  was  nearly  always 
drunk  in  those  days,  and  I  don't  think  he  really 
knew  what  he  was  doing.  Uncle  Philip  used  to  talk 
to  him  and  flatter  him  and  all  that  sort  of  thing,  and 
at  last  he  got  father  to  make  a  will  appointing  him 
as  my  guardian.  The  very  first  thing  he  did,  as 
soon  as  father  died,  was  to  send  away  Miss  Watson.  " 

"I  don't  think  I  like  Uncle  Philip,"  said  Tony. 
"I  am  glad  I  pushed  him  off  the  car.  " 

"So  am  I,  "  said  Isabel  with  surprising  viciousness. 
"I  only  hope  he  hurt  himself.  He  did  fall  in  the 
road,  didn't  he?"  she  added  anxiously. 

"I  think  so,"  said  Tony.  "It  sounded  like  it 
anyway." 

"I  can't  help  feeling  horrid  about  him, "  she  went 
on.    "It  is  all  his  fault  that  any  of  this  has  happened." 

"I  am  glad  to  hear  something  in  his  favour, "  said 
Tony. 

"Oh,  I  don't  mean  my  being  here  and  knowing  you. 
I  love  that  part  of  it.  I  mean  Richmond  and  Pedro 
and  Da  Freitas,  and — and — oh,  all  the  hateful, 
ghastly  time  I  have  had  the  last  month.  " 

She  broke  off  with  a  slight  shiver,  as  though  the 
very  memory  were  physically  unpleasant.  Tony 
smoked  his  cigarette  in  sympathetic  silence  until  she 
felt  ready  to  continue. 

"You  see,"  she  began,  "after  Miss  Watson  was 


154        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

sent  away  there  was  no  one  to  help  me  at  all.  Uncle 
Philip  wouldn't  let  me  have  any  money,  and  the 
only  person  I  could  talk  to  was  a  horrible  old  French- 
woman who  spied  on  me  all  the  time  like  a  cat.  I 
had  a  year  of  that,  and  then  one  day  Uncle  Philip 
told  me  that  he  had  taken  a  house  for  us  at  Richmond 
in  England,  and  that  we  were  going  over  to  live  there 
at  once.  I  didn't  mind.  Anything  seemed  better 
than  Paris,  and  of  course  I  had  no  idea  what  his  real 
plans  were. " 

There  was  a  short  pause. 

"It  didn't  take  me  long  to  find  out, "  she  went  on 
bitterly.  ' '  The  day  after  we  arrived,  I  was  sitting  in 
the  drawing-room  when  who  should  come  in  but 
Uncle  Philip  and  the  Marquis  da  Freitas.  You  can 
imagine  how  astonished  I  was  when  Uncle  introduced 
him.  Of  course  I  had  always  been  brought  up  to 
look  on  him  as  the  worst  enemy  we  had.  Well,  he 
bowed  and  he  smiled  and  he  paid  me  a  lot  of  compli- 
ments, and  then  he  said  that  now  Livadia  was  a 
republic  it  was  only  right  that  the  two  branches  of 
the  royal  family  should  be  friends.  He  kept  on 
telling  me  how  anxious  King  Pedro  was  to  make  my 
acquaintance,  and  at  last  it  came  out  that  he  and  the 
King  were  living  in  Richmond  and  that  we  were 
invited  over  to  dinner  the  next  night. 

"Even  then,"  she  continued  slowly,  "I  didn't 
guess  what  was  behind  it  all.  It  was  only  when  he 
was  gone  and  I  was  alone  with  Uncle  that  I  found 
out  the  truth." 

She  paused. 


A  Run-Away  Queen  155 

"Yes?"  said  Tony. 

Isabel  took  another  long  breath. 

"They  had  arranged  for  a  marriage  between  me 
and  Pedro,  and  it  was  to  come  off  in  a  couple  of 
months. " 

A  low  surprised  whistle  broke  from  Tony's  lips. 

"By  Jove!"  he  said  softly.     "By  Jove!" 

For  a  moment  he  remained  contemplating  Isabel 
with  a  sort  of  grave  enjoyment ;  then  abandoning  his 
cigarette  he  sat  up  straight  in  the  seat. 

"This,"  he  observed,  "is  undoubtedly  a  case  of 
predestination.  It  must  have  been  arranged  millions 
of  years  ago  that  I  should  be  in  Long  Acre  on  that 
particular  evening. " 

"Perhaps  it  was,"  said  Isabel.  "Anyway  I 
shouldn't  have  married  Pedro  whatever  happened.  I 
made  up  my  mind  about  that  the  first  time  I  saw 
him." 

' '  Did  you  tell  him  ? ' '  asked  Tony. 

"I  told  Uncle  Philip  as  soon  as  we  got  home.  Of 
course  he  was  very  angry,  but  I  don't  think  he  took 
me  seriously.  He  just  said  it  didn't  make  any 
difference — that  whether  I  liked  it  or  not  I  should 
have  to  be  married,  so  I  had  better  get  used  to  the 
idea  as  quickly  as  possible.  " 

Tony  nodded  his  head  thoughtfully. 

"It  all  fits  in  perfectly  except  one  thing,  "  he  said. 
"I  can't  quite  see  what  your  uncle  and  Da  Freitas 
hope  to  get  out  of  it.  They  must  both  have  some 
notion  at  the  back  of  their  beautiful  heads.  " 

"That's  what  I  don't  understand,  "  said  Isabel  in  a 


156        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

puzzled  voice.  "Anyhow  it's  all  their  arrangement. 
Pedro  doesn't  want  to  marry  me  really — not  a  little 
bit.  He  is  only  doing  it  because  Da  Freitas  tells  him 
to."  She  hesitated.  "If  it  hadn't  been  for  that  I 
couldn't  have  stood  it  as  long  as  I  did. " 

"How  long  was  it?"  asked  Tony  sympathetically. 
' '  Just  three  weeks.  The  day  after  that  first  dinner 
Da  Freitas  came  over  again,  and  made  a  sort  of  for- 
mal proposal.  I  told  him  quite  plainly  I  wouldn't, 
but  it  didn't  make  any  difference.  Uncle  Philip 
declared  that  I  was  shy,  and  didn't  know  what  I 
was  talking  about,  and  Da  Freitas  said  in  his  horrid 
oily  way  that  he  was  quite  sure  when  I  got  to  know 
Pedro  better  I  would  love  him  as  much  as  he  loved 
me.  I  saw  it  was  no  good  saying  anything  else,  so  I 
just  made  up  my  mind  I  would  run  away. " 

Tony  looked  at  her  approvingly.  "You  are 
extraordinarily  practical,  "  he  said,  "for  the  daughter 
of  an  exiled  monarch.  " 

"There  was  nothing  else  to  do,"  replied  Isabel; 
"but  it  wasn't  easy.  You  see  I  had  no  money 
and  Uncle  never  let  me  go  out  alone.  Wherever  I 
went  I  always  had  Suzanne  the  old  Frenchwoman 
with  me.  The  only  person  I  could  think  of  who 
might  be  able  to  help  me  was  Miss  Watson.  When 
she  left  she  had  given  me  her  address  in  London,  and 
I  knew  she  would  do  anything  she  could  because  she 
hated  Uncle  Philip  almost  as  much  as  I  did.  I  wrote 
her  a  little  note  and  carried  it  about  with  me  in  my 
dress  for  days,  but  I  never  got  a  chance  to  post  it. 
Well,  things  went  on  like  that  till  last  Monday.     I 


A  Run- Away  Queen  157 

was  feeling  hateful,  because  Pedro  had  been  to  dinner 
the  night  before,  and  I  think  he'd  had  too  much  to 
drink.  Anyhow  he  had  wanted  to  kiss  me  after- 
wards, and  there  had  been  a  frightful  row,  and  every- 
one had  been  perfectly  horrid  to  me.  In  the  morning 
Uncle  started  again.  He  told  me  that  he  and  the 
Marquis  da  Freitas  had  decided  to  put  a  stop  to 
what  he  called  my  'nonsense,'  and  that  they  were 
making  arrangements  for  me  and  Pedro  to  be  mar- 
ried immediately.  I  felt  miserable,  but  I  wasn't 
going  to  argue  any  more  about  it,  so  I  just  said 
nothing.  He  went  over  there  about  half -past  six  in 
the  evening  and  I  was  left  alone  in  the  house  with 
Suzanne.  They  wouldn't  trust  me  to  be  by  myself 
at  all,  except  at  night,  when  I  was  always  locked  in 
my  bedroom. " 

She  stopped  to  push  back  a  rebellious  copper- 
coloured  curl  which  had  temporarily  escaped  over 
her  forehead. 

"We  were  sitting  in  the  drawing-room,  "  she  went 
on,  ' '  and  Suzanne  was  knitting,  and  I  was  supposed 
to  be  reading  a  book.  I  wasn't  really,  because  I  was 
too  miserable  to  think  about  anything.  I  was  just 
sitting  doing  nothing  when  I  happened  to  look  up, 
and  there  I  saw  half-a-crown  on  the  writing-desk 
opposite.  I  suppose  it  must  have  been  Suzanne's. 
Well,  I  looked  at  it  for  a  moment,  and  then  all  of  a 
sudden  I  made  up  my  mind.  I  got  up  out  of  the 
chair,  and  walked  across  the  room  as  if  I  was  going  to 
get  something  fresh  to  read.  As  I  passed  the  desk  I 
picked  up  the  half-crown.     I  had  a  horrible  feeling 


158         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

in  my  back  that  Suzanne  was  watching  me,  but  I 
didn't  look  round  till  I  got  to  the  book-case,  and  then 
I  saw  that  she  was  still  knitting  away  quite  peacefully 
and  happily.  I  didn't  wait  any  longer.  I  just 
walked  straight  on  to  the  door,  and  before  she  knew 
what  was  happening,  I  had  slipped  out  on  to  the 
landing  and  locked  her  in.  " 

"Splendid!"  said  Tony  with  enthusiasm.  "I  can 
almost  hear  her  gnashing  her  teeth." 

"She  was  rather  angry,"  admitted  Isabel,  "but  I 
didn't  pay  any  attention  to  her.  I  knew  that  no  one 
could  hear,  so  I  left  her  to  shout  and  kick  the  door 
and  ran  straight  up  to  my  room.  I  was  too  excited 
to  bother  much  about  what  I  took  with  me.  I. just 
stuffed  a  few  things  in  my  bag,  and  then  I  crept  down- 
stairs again,  and  got  out  of  the  house  as  quick  as  ever 
I  could." 

' '  Did  you  feel  afraid  ? ' '  asked  Tony. 

"Not  till  I  got  to  the  station.  Then  I  found  I  had 
ten  minutes  to  wait  for  a  train  and  that  was  awful. 
I  kept  on  thinking  Uncle  Philip  would  turn  up  every 
moment.  I  stopped  in  the  ladies'  waiting-room  as 
long  as  I  could,  and  then  I  made  a  dash  for  the  plat- 
form and  jumped  into  the  first  carriage  I  came  to.  It 
was  full  of  old  women,  and  they  all  stared  at  me  as 
if  I  was  mad.  I  felt  horribly  red  and  uncomfort- 
able, but  I  wasn't  going  to  get  out  again,  so  I  just 
squeezed  into  a  seat  and  shut  my  eyes  and  let  them 
stare." 

"You  mustn't  blame  them,"  said  Tony.  "It's 
the  special  privilege  of  cats  to  scrutinize  Royalty." 


A  Run-Away  Queen  159 

"Oh,  I  didn't  mind  really.  I  am  sort  of  accus- 
tomed to  it.  People  used  to  stare  at  me  in  France 
when  I  went  in  a  train.  I  expect  it's  my  red  hair. " 
She  paused.  "All  the  same  I  was  glad  when  we  got 
to  Waterloo.  I  was  so  excited  I  could  hardly  breathe 
till  I  was  past  the  barrier,  and  then  I  nearly  col- 
lapsed. I  know  now  just  how  an  animal  feels  when 
he  gets  out  of  a  trap.  "  She  turned  to  Tony.  "You 
don't  think  I'm  an  awful  coward,  do  you?" 

"I  think  you  are  as  brave  as  a  lion,  "  said  Tony. 

"I  didn't  feel  it  then,"  she  answered.  "I  was 
trembling  all  over  and  my  heart  was  thumping  like 
anything.  I  sat  down  on  a  seat  for  a  minute,  and 
then  I  thought  I  would  go  into  the  refreshment 
room  and  have  a  cup  of  tea.  You  see  I  had  come 
away  without  any  dinner.  " 

"You  poor  dear!"  said  Tony  feelingly.  "Of 
course  you  had ! ' ' 

"Well,  I  got  up  from  the  seat,  and  I  was  just  look- 
ing round  to  see  where  the  refreshment  room  was, 
when  I  suddenly  caught  sight  of  two  men  staring  at 
me  like  anything. " 

"What — not  our  two  comic  opera  pals ? "  exclaimed 
Tony. 

Isabel  nodded  emphatically.  "Yes,"  she  said, 
"that's  who  it  was.  They  were  standing  over  by 
the  bookstall  talking  together.  They  turned  away 
directly  I  looked  at  them,  but  I  knew  perfectly  well 
they  were  watching  me.  I  had  never  seen  either  of 
them  before  and  it  made  me  feel  horribly  frightened 
again.     I  thought  that  perhaps  Uncle  had  telephoned 


i6o         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

up  to  London,  and  that  they  were  two  policemen  who 
had  come  to  fetch  me  back.  " 

"You  can  always  tell  an  English  policeman  when 
he  is  in  plain  clothes, ' '  interrupted  Tony.  ' '  He  looks 
so  fearfully  ashamed  of  himself.  " 

'T  didn't  know,"  said  Isabel.  'T  was  too  upset 
to  think  much,  and  when  they  came  after  me  into 
the  refreshment  room  I  could  simply  have  screamed. 
I  thought  they  were  going  to  speak  to  me  then,  but 
they  didn't.  They  just  sat  there  while  I  had  my  tea, 
and  then  followed  me  out  on  to  the  platform.  I 
asked  a  porter  what  was  the  best  way  to  get  to  Long 
Acre,  and  he  told  me  to  take  the  tube  to  Leicester 
Square.  I  hoped  and  hoped  I'd  manage  to  lose 
them,  but  it  was  no  good.  They  came  along  in  the 
same  carriage  and  got  out  at  Leicester  Square,  too. " 

'T  wish  I'd  been  with  you,  "  said  Tony  regretfully. 
' '  I  have  never  been  traced  or  shadowed  or  anything 
like  that.     It  must  be  a  wonderful  feeling. " 

"It  was  aw^ul  in  the  lift, "  said  Isabel.  "I  hadn't 
the  least  notion  which  way  to  go  when  I  got  out,  and 
I  felt  certain  they  would  come  up  and  speak  to  me.  I 
was  so  desperate  that  just  as  the  lift  stopped  I  turned 
round  to  the  lady  who  was  standing  next  me  and 
asked  her  if  she  could  show  me  the  way  to  Long  Acre. 
You  can  imagine  how  pleased  I  was  when  she  said 
she  was  going  in  that  direction  and  I  could  walk 
along  with  her. " 

"I  suppose  they  crept  stealthily  after  you,"  said 
Tony.  ' '  People  always  do  that  in  books  when  they 
are  shadowing  anybody. " 


A  Run-Away  Queen  i6i 

"I  suppose  they  did, "  said  Isabel.  "I  was  much 
too  frightened  to  look  round.  I  just  walked  along 
with  the  lady  till  we  got  to  the  door  of  the  fiats,  and 
then  I  thanked  her  very  much  and  ran  upstairs  as  fast 
as  I  could.  Miss  Watson's  number  was  right  at  the 
top  of  the  building.  There  was  no  bell,  so  I  ham- 
mered on  the  knocker,  and  then  I  stood  there  panting 
and  trying  to  get  my  breath,  and  thinking  every 
moment  I  should  hear  them  coming  up  the  stairs  after 
me. 

"Well,  I  stood  there  and  stood  there,  and  nothing 
happened,  and  then  suddenly  it  came  to  me  as  if — oh, 
just  as  if  somebody  had  dropped  a  lump  of  ice  down 
inside  my  dress.  Suppose  Miss  Watson  had  left! 
You  see  I  had  been  so  excited  about  getting  away  from 
Richmond  I  had  never  thought  of  that.  For  a 
second  it  made  me  feel  quite  ill ;  then  I  grabbed  hold 
of  the  knocker,  and  I  was  just  beginning  to  hammer 
again,  when  the  door  of  the  opposite  fiat  opened  and 
an  old  gentleman  came  out  on  to  the  landing.  He 
was  a  fat,  cross-looking  old  man,  with  spectacles  and 
carpet  slippers,  and  a  newspaper  in  his  hand.  He 
said  to  me:  'It's  no  good  making  that  horrible  noise. 
Miss  Watson  has  gone  away  for  a  month,  and  there's 
no  one  in  the  place.'  Then  he  banged  the  door  and 
went  back  into  the  fiat.  " 

"Dyspeptic  old  brute,  "  observed  Tony.  "I  hope 
you  went  on  hammering.  " 

"What  was  the  good?"  said  Isabel  with  a  little 
despairing  gesture.  "I  knew  he  was  speaking  the 
truth  because  I  had  already  made  enough  noise  to 


1 62         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

wake  up  twenty  people.  Besides  I  seemed  to  have 
gone  all  sort  of  numbed  and  stupid.  I  had  so 
counted  on  finding  Miss  Watson  I  had  never  even 
begun  to  think  what  would  happen  if  she  wasn't 
there. " 

"It  must  have  been  a  shattering  blow,  "  said  Tony. 
"I  think  I  should  have  burst  into  tears.  " 

"I  couldn't  cry;  I  was  too  dazed  and  miserable. 
1  just  leaned  where  I  was  against  the  wall  and 
"wondered  what  on  earth  I  was  to  do  next.  The  only 
thing  I  could  think  of  was  to  go  to  a  hotel.  I  had 
no  money,  except  what  was  left  out  of  the  half- 
crown,  but  I  had  got  my  rings  and  I  knew  I  could  sell 
them  the  next  day.  It  was  the  two  men  outside 
that  I  was  so  frightened  of.  I  felt  certain  they  were 
policemen,  and  that  if  I  went  anywhere  they  would 
be  sure  to  follow  me  and  then  telegraph  to  Uncle 
Philip  where  I  was. 

"I  don't  know  how  long  I  stayed  on  the  landing. 
It  seemed  an  age,  but  I  expect  it  was  only  about  half 
an  hour  really.  I  thought  that  perhaps  if  I  stopped 
there  long  enough  they  might  get  tired  of  waiting 
and  go  away. 

"At  last  I  began  to  feel  so  cold  and  hungry  and 
tired  I  simply  couldn't  stand  it  any  longer.  I  came 
downstairs  again  as  far  as  the  hall,  and  then  I  walked 
across  to  the  door  and  looked  out  into  the  street.  I 
couldn't  see  a  sign  of  anybody  waiting  about,  so  I  just 
sort  of  set  my  teeth  and  stepped  out  on  to  the  pave- 
ment. I  stood  there  for  a  second  wondering  which 
way  to  go,  and  then  almost  before  I  knew  what  was 


A  Run-Away  Queen  163 

happening  there  I  was  with  my  back  against  the  wall, 
and  those  two  horrible  men  in  front  of  me. " 

She  paused  with  a  little  reminiscent  gasp. 

"And  the  rest  of  the  acts  of  Isabel  and  all  that  she 
did,"  began  Tony;  then  he  broke  off  with  a  laugh. 
"What  was  it  our  squint-eyed  friend  was  actually 
saying  to  you?"  he  asked. 

"It  wasn't  so  much  what  he  said,"  answered 
Isabel;  "it  was  what  he  said  it  in.  He  spoke  to  me 
in  Livadian. " 

Tony  nodded  composedly.  "I  thought  so,"  he 
observed. 

"He  said;  'Don't  be  frightened.  Madam;  we  are 
your  friends. '  At  least  I  think  it  was  that.  I  was 
too  upset  to  listen  to  him  properly;  and  the  next 
moment  you  came."  She  drew  in  a  long  breath. 
"Oh,  I  was  pleased,  "  she  added  simply. 

"So  was  I,"  said  Tony,  "and  so  was  Bugg.  In 
fact  I  think  we  were  all  pleased  except  your  friends. " 
He  paused.  "Are  you  quite  sure  you  hadn't  seen 
either  of  them  before?" 

Isabel  nodded.  "Quite,"  she  said.  "I  never 
forget  faces;  especially  faces  like  that.  " 

"They  are  the  sort  that  would  linger  in  one's 
memory,"  said  Tony.  He  got  up  from  the  seat 
and  stood  for  a  moment  with  his  hands  in 
his  side-pockets  looking  thoughtfully  down  at 
Isabel. 

"Now  you  know  everything,"  she  began  hesi- 
tatingly. "Are  you — are  you  still  certain  you 
wouldn't  like  me  to  go  away?" 


164        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"Go  away!"  repeated  Tony.  "My  incomparable 
cousin,  what  are  you  talking  about?" 

' ' But  just  think, ' '  she  pleaded.  "It  may  mean  all 
sorts  of  trouble.  I  don't  know  who  those  two  men 
are  or  what  they  want,  but  I've  got  a  sort  of  horrible 
feeling  they  will  find  me  out  again  somehow.  And 
then  there's  my  uncle  and  Da  Freitas.  "  'She  gave  a 
little  shiver.  "Oh,  you  don't  know  Da  Freitas  as  I 
do.  There's  nothing  he  will  stop  at  to  get  me  back — 
absolutely  nothing." 

Tony  smiled  happily.  "I  quite  believe  you,"  he 
said.  ' '  I  should  think  he  was  a  most  unscrupulous 
brute.  People  with  those  smooth  purry  voices  always 
are. "  Then  with  that  sudden  infectious  laugh  he 
took  his  hands  from  his  pockets  and  held  them  out  to 
Isabel,  who  after  a  momentary  hesitation  put  out 
her  own  to  meet  them.  "My  dear  Isabel,  "  he  said, 
almost  seriously;  "haven't  you  grasped  the  great  fact 
that  this  is  the  most  colossal  jest  ever  arranged  by 
Providence?  I  should  see  it  through  to  the  end  if 
I  had  to  get  up  to  breakfast  every  day  for  the  rest 
of  my  life. ' '  He  paused  with  a  twinkle  in  his  eyes. 
"Unless,  of  course,  you  really  want  to  be  Queen  of 
Livadia. ' ' 

"Me!"  exclaimed  Isabel,  with  the  same  fine  dis- 
regard for  grammar.  "Why,  I  never  want  to  see  the 
hateful  place  again.  There's  nothing  I  would  love 
better  than  just  to  stay  with  you — I  mean  of 
course,"  she  added  hastily,  "until  Miss  Watson 
comes  back. " 

"Of  course, "  said  Tony. 


A  Run-Away  Queen  165 

Then  suddenly  releasing  her  hands,  Isabel  too  got 
up  from  the  seat. 

"It's  only  that  I  don't  want  to  be  a  trouble  or— or 
an  expense, "  she  added  a  little  confusedly. 

"As  far  as  the  expense  goes,"  said  Tony,  "the 
matter  is  already  settled.  I  have  consulted  one  of 
the  most  eminent  pawnbrokers  in  London,  and  he 
tells  me  that  your  great-grandmother  had  a  very 
pretty  taste  in  jewellery.  There  will  be  no  need 
to  pawn  the  rings.  He  let  me  have  seven  thousand 
pounds  on  the  brooch  alone. ' ' 

"Seven  thousand  pounds,"  echoed  Isabel  with  a 
gasp.  "Oh,  but  how  lovely!  I  can  live  on  that  for 
ever."  She  hesitated  for  a  moment.  "They  are 
part  of  the  Royal  collection  you  know.  Pedro 
gave  them  to  me  when  we  were  betrothed — at 
least  I  don't  suppose  he  really  meant  me  to  keep 
them." 

Tony  laughed  joyously.  "What  fun!"  he  ex- 
claimed. "I  should  love  to  have  seen  Da  Freitas' 
face  when  he  heard  you  had  taken  them  with  you. 
Though  as  a  matter  of  fact,"  he  added,  "we  shall 
probably  see  it  quite  soon  enough,  unless  Uncle 
Phil  was  too  agitated  to  recognize  me.  " 

"Recognize  you?''  repeated  Isabel,  opening  her 
eyes.  "Why  he  has  never  seen  you  before  this  morn- 
ing!" 

"Yes,  he  has,"  said  Tony.  "I  happened  to  be  in 
the  hall  of  the  Club  yesterday,  when  he  came  rushing 
in  to  tell  Da  Freitas  that  you  had  disappeared.  At 
least  I  imagine  that  was  what  he  came  for.      He 


i66        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

could  hardly  have  been  so  beautifully  excited  about 
anything  else. " 

"Oh  dear!"  exclaimed  Isabel  in  dismay.  "Then 
if  he  saw  you  in  the  car  he  will  be  able  to  find  out  who 
you  are  from  Da  Freitas. " 

Tony  nodded.  "One  can't  have  all  the  trumps," 
he  observed  philosophically.  ' '  It  would  be  an  awfully 
dull  game  if  one  did. " 

There  was  a  second's  pause.  Then  with  a  sudden 
impulsive  gesture  Isabel  clasped  her  hands  together 
in  front  of  her. 

"I  don't  care,"  she  remarked  defiantly.  "I'm 
not  frightened  of  them.  I  don't  believe  I  shall  be 
frightened  of  anything — not  with  you  to  hejp  m.e." 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  ROYAL  ENTERPRISE 

The  mellow-toned  grandfather  clock  in  the  comer 
chimed  out  the  stroke  of  nine-thirty  as  Guy  crossed 
the  hall  with  a  bundle  of  papers  in  his  hand.  He  had 
reached  the  foot  of  the  banisters  and  was  preparing 
to  ascend,  when  his  progress  was  brought  to  a  sudden 
standstill. 

Coming  down  the  broad  oak  staircase,  with  the 
inevitable  cigarette  between  his  lips,  was  the  smiling 
and  fully  dressed  figure  of  Sir  Antony  Conway. 

Guy  stared  at  him  incredulously. 

"Good  gracious,  Tony!"  he  observed.  "Do  you 
mean  to  say  you  have  got  up  to  breakfast  two  days 
running  ? ' ' 

"I  have,  "  said  Tony  with  some  dignity.  "As  the 
prospective  member  for  Balham  North,  I  feel  it's 
my  duty  to  be  thoroughly  English."  He  reached 
the  bottom  of  the  stairs  and  slipped  his  arm  through 
his  cousin's.  "I  have  told  Spalding  that  I  will  have 
porridge,  eggs  and  bacon,  marmalade,  and  a  copy  of 
the  Times, "  he  added.  ' '  Come  along  into  the  study 
and  help  me  to  face  them. " 

"Well,  I  am  pretty  busy  this  morning, "  said  Guy, 

167 


i68        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"but  I  would  sacrifice  a  good  deal  for  the  sake  of  see- 
ing you  reading  the  Times  and  eating  a  proper  healthy 
breakfast." 

"Oh,  I  don't  suppose  I  shall  go  as  far  as  that," 
said  Tony.  "I  shall  probably  only  look  at  them. 
There  is  no  point  in  carrying  things  to  extremes." 

He  pushed  open  the  door  of  the  study,  where  they 
discovered  Spalding  in  the  act  of  putting  the  finishing 
touches  to  a  charmingly  appointed  breakfast  table. 

With  a  final  glance  of  approval  at  his  handiwork, 
that  well-trained  servitor  stepped  back  and  pulled 
out  a  chair  for  Tony. 

"Is  everything  ready?"  inquired  the  latter. 

"Quite  ready.  Sir  Antony,"  replied  Spalding. 
"The  copy  of  the  Times  is  beside  your  plate,  sir. 
You  will  find  the  engineering  supplement  inside." 

He  brought  up  another  chair  for  Guy,  and  then 
retiring  to  a  small  electric  lift  in  the  wall,  produced 
the  eggs  and  bacon  and  porridge  which  he  placed  on 
the  sideboard  upon  a  couple  of  carefully  trimmed  and 
already  lighted  spirit  stoves. 

"You  needn't  wait,  Spalding,"  said  Tony.  "I 
like  to  help  myself  at  breakfast;  it's  more  in  keeping 
with  the  best  English  traditions.  " 

Spalding  bowed,  and  crossing  to  the  door  closed  it 
noiselessly  behind  him. 

Tony  began  leisurely  to  pour  himself  out  a  cup  of 
tea. 

"I  suppose  you  have  had  your  breakfast,  Guy?" 
he  observed. 

The  latter  nodded.     ' '  I  have, ' '  he  said,  ' '  but  if  you 


The  Royal  Enterprise  169 

are  going  to  keep  up  this  excellent  habit  of  early 
rising,  I  shall  wait  for  you  in  future.  " 

*'Yes,  do,"  said  Tony.  "Then  we  can  read  out 
the  best  bits  in  the  Times  to  each  other.  Henry  and 
Laura  do  it  every  morning  at  breakfast. "  He  took 
a  sip  out  of  the  cup  and  lighted  himself  a  fresh  cigar- 
ette. "By  the  way,"  he  added.  "I  am  going  to 
meet  them  at  lunch  to-day. " 

"Where? "inquired  Guy. 

"At  Aunt  Fanny's.  She  sent  me  a  sort  of  S.O.S. 
call  this  morning  saying  that  they  were  coming  and 
imploring  help.  I  can't  leave  her  alone  with  them. 
She  is  getting  too  old  for  really  hard  work. " 

"I  believe  Aunt  Fanny  deliberately  encourages 
you  to  laugh  at  them, "  said  Guy  severely. 

"I  don't  want  any  encouragement,"  protested 
Tony,  helping  himself  to  a  delicately  browned  piece  of 
toast. 

"If  I  didn't  laugh  at  Laura  I  should  weep. " 

"You  would  do  much  better  if  you  listened  a  bit 
more  to  what  they  said.  But  of  course  it's  no  use 
offering  you  any  advice. " 

"Oh,  yes,  it  is,"  said  Tony.  "That's  where  you 
wrong  me. "  He  leaned  back  in  his  chair  and  looked 
mischievously  across  at  his  cousin.  ' '  I  pay  the  most 
careful  attention  to  everything  you  tell  me,  Guy. 
At  the  present  moment  I  am  seriously  thinking  of 
following  some  advice  you  gave  me  yesterday. " 

"What  about?"  asked  Guy  suspiciously. 

Tony  broke  off  a  little  piece  of  toast  and  crunched 
it  thoughtfully  between  his  teeth. 


170        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"About  Cousin  Isabel,  "  he  replied. 

Something  remarkably  like  a  faint  flush  of  colour 
mounted  into  Guy's  face. 

"Really!"  he  observed  with  an  admirable  indiffer- 
ence. 

Tony  nodded  gently.  * '  Certain  things  which  have 
come  to  my  knowledge  since  have  made  me  feel  that 
perhaps  you  were  right  in  what  you  said.  I  doubt 
whether  I  should  be  justified  in  risking  my  political 
career  for  the  sake  of  a  passing  whim.  After  all  one 
has  to  think  of  the  country. " 

Guy  looked  at  him  .with  mistrust.  "You  don't 
suppose  I  shall  swallow  that,  "  he  observed. 

"It  doesn't  matter,"  said  Tony  sadly.  "I  am 
used  to  being  misunderstood. ' '  He  paused.  ' '  What 
did  you  think  of  Isabel?"  he  asked. 

Guy  was  evidently  prepared  for  the  question.  "I 
was  pleasantly  surprised  with  her,"  he  admitted. 
"She  seemed  to  me  a  very  attractive  girl,  and  I 
should  think  quite  straightforward.  " 

Again  Tony  nodded  his  head.  "Yes,"  he  said, 
"I  think  that's  true.  It  makes  me  all  the  more 
sorry  I  can't  go  on  helping  her. " 

"Can't  go  on  helping  her!"  repeated  Guy.  "What 
do  you  mean?" 

"Well,  she  told  me  her  history  yesterday,  and  it's 
not  at  all  the  sort  of  thing  a  rising  young  politician 
ought  to  be  mixed  up  with.  She  admitted  as  much 
herself.  I  am  afraid  the  only  thing  to  do  is  to  get 
rid  of  her  as  quickly  as  we  can.  " 

Guy  sat  up  indignantly.     ' '  I  don't  know  what  you 


The  Royal  Enterprise  171 

are  talking  about,"  he  said,  "but  I  am  quite  sure 
you  have  misunderstood  her  in  some  way  or  other. 
Anyhow  what  you  suggest  is  impossible.  You  can't 
pick  up  people  and  drop  them  again  in  this  thought- 
less and  selfish  fashion.  What's  the  girl  to  do  ?  You 
have  chosen  to  make  yourself  responsible  for  her,  and 
you  must  arrange  to  send  her  back  to  her  people — 
or  something. ' ' 

"Unfortunately, "  said  Tony,  "there  are  difficulties 
in  the  way.  Her  father  and  mother  are  both  dead, 
and  her  nearest  relations  are  all  out  of  work  for  the 
moment. " 

"Has  she  any  profession?"  asked  Guy. 

Tony  nodded. 

"Yes,  she's  a  queen.  " 

There  was  a  short  silence.  "A  what?''  demanded 
Guy. 

"A  queen!"  repeated  Tony.  "It's  not  a  profes- 
sion that  I  altogether  approve  of  for  women,  but  she 
had  been  brought  up  to  it,  and " 

Guy  pushed  back  his  chair.  "Look  here,  Tony,  " 
he  exclaimed, ' '  what  on  earth  are  you  talking  about  ? " 

Tony  raised  his  eyebrows.  ' '  Isabel, ' '  he  explained 
patiently.  "Cousin  Isabel.  The  nice  little  red- 
haired  girl  you  were  teaching  gardening  to  yesterday. 
She  is  the  only  daughter  of  that  late  lamented  inebri- 
ate— Don  Francisco  of  Livadia.  " 

With  a  startled  ejaculation  Guy  suddenly  sat  up 
straight  in  his  chair.  He  opened  his  mouth  as  if  to 
speak,  but  nothing  intelligible  seemed  to  suggest  itself. 

"Furthermore,"  pursued   Tony  tranquilly,   "she 


172        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

is  the  affianced  wife  of  our  illustrious  little  pal  King 
Pedro  the  Fifth.  That  of  course  explains  why  she 
has  run  away." 

By  a  supreme  effort  Guy  succeeded  in  regaining  his 
lost  powers  of  conversation.  His  face  was  a  beauti- 
ful study  in  amazement,  dismay,  and  incredulity. 

"But — but — Good  Heavens!"  he  gasped;  "This 
can't  be  true!     You  must  be  joking!" 

"Joking!"  repeated  Tony  sternly.  "Of  course 
I'm  not  joking.  No  respectable  Englishman  ever 
jokes  at  breakfast. " 

Guy  threw  up  his  hands  with  a  gesture  that  was 
almost  tragic. 

"Well,  if  it's  true,"  he  observed,  "you  have  just 
about  gone  and  done  it  this  time  with  a  vengeance. " 
He  got  up  from  his  seat,  took  a  couple  of  agitated 
paces  towards  the  window,  and  then  came  back  to 
the  table  where  the  future  member  for  Balham 
North  was  still  placidly  munching  his  toast.  "Good 
Lord,  Tony!"  he  exclaimed;  "don't  you  understand 
what  a  serious  matter  this  is  ? " 

"Of  course  I  do,"  said  Tony.  "You  don't  sup- 
pose I  would  talk  about  it  at  breakfast  otherwise." 

"It's  more  than  serious,"  continued  Guy  in  a 
strained  voice.  "It's — it's  the  most  unholy  mess 
that  even  you  have  ever  mixed  yourself  up  in.  If 
this  girl  is  really  who  you  say  she  is,  we  shall  have 
the  whole  diplomatic  service  tumbling  over  them- 
selves to  find  her."  He  paused.  "For  goodness' 
sake  tell  me  the  whole  story  at  once ;  there  may  possi- 
bly be  some  way  out  of  it  after  all.  " 


The  Royal  Enterprise  173 

"I  don't  think  there  is,"  said  Tony  contentedly. 
"Of  course  I  could  desert  Isabel,  but  as  you  have 
just  pointed  out  to  me,  that  would  be  very  brutal 
and  dishonourable.  Anyhow,  if  you  will  take  a  pew 
and  try  and  look  a  little  less  like  Sarah  Bernhardt, 
I'll  tell  you  exactly  how  things  stand.  Then  you  can 
judge  for  yourself. " 

Guy  resumed  his  seat,  and  after  pausing  to  light 
himself  a  third  cigarette,  Tony  began  to  repeat 
Isabel's  romantic  history,  more  or  less  as  she  had 
described  it  to  him  at  Cookham  on  the  previous  day. 
There  was  a  leisurely  style  about  his  method  that 
must  have  been  somewhat  provoking  to  Guy,  whose 
anxiety  to  hear  the  whole  truth  seemed  to  be  of  a 
painful  intensity.  Tony,  however,  proceeded  in  his 
own  unhurried  fashion,  and  by  a  masterly  exhibition 
of  self-control  Guy  refrained  from  any  comment 
or  interruption  until  the  entire  story  was  told. 

Then  he  sat  back  in  his  chair  with  the  stony  ex- 
pression of  one  who  has  learnt  the  worst. 

Tony  looked  at  him  sympathetically.  "One  can't 
very  well  get  out  of  it,  can  one,  Guy?"  he  observed. 
* '  Of  course  I  might  give  Isabel  a  week's  notice,  but 
after  the  bitter  and  scornful  way  you  spoke  to  me 
just  now  about  my  selfishness  I  should  hardly  like  to 
do  that.  Besides,  as  a  moral  man  I  strongly  dis- 
approve of  Pedro's  intentions.  I  think  nobody  should 
be  allowed  to  marry  who  has  not  led  a  perfectly 
pure  life." 

"Oh,  shut  up,"  said  Guy;  "shut  up  and  let  me 
think."    He  buried  his  forehead  in  his  hands  for  a 


174        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

moment  or  two,  and  then  looked  up  again  with  such 
a  harassed  appearance  that  Tony  felt  quite  sorry  for 
him.  "It's — it's  worse  than  I  thought,"  he  added 
despairingly.  "What  on  earth  do  you  imagine  is 
going  to  be  the  end  of  it?" 

"I  haven't  the  remotest  notion,"  admitted  Tony 
cheerfully.  "The  only  thing  I  have  quite  made  up 
my  mind  about  is  that  Isabel  shan't  be  forced  into 
marrying  Pedro." 

"I  agree  with  you  there,"  said  Guy  with  sudden 
warmth.  "It's  an  infamous  proposal.  I  can't  see 
what's  at  the  bottom  of  it  either  unless  there  is  still 
a  party  in  Livadia  who  believe  in  her  father's  claim. 
I  thought  they  were  pretty  well  extinct. ' '  He  paused 
for  a  moment,  his  brow  puckered  in  deep  and  anxious 
reflection.  "Anyhow,"  he  added,  "you  have  put 
yourself  into  a  frightfully  delicate  position.  Da 
Freitas  will  move  heaven  and  earth  to  find  the  girl, 
and  you  can  be  quite  sure  he  will  get  any  possible 
assistance  he  asks  for  from  our  people.  " 

"I  don't  believe  he'll  ask  for  any,"  said  Tony. 
"I've  got  a  notion  that  they  want  to  keep  this  mar- 
riage business  as  quiet  as  possible.  Why  should  they 
have  tried  to  rush  it  so,  otherwise?  If  that's  right 
they  will  probably  be  only  too  anxious  to  keep  the 
police  out  of  it,  especially  since  they  have  seen  Isabel 
with  me." 

"But  do  you  think  her  uncle  recognized  you?" 

"Can't  say, "  repHed  Tony  tranquilly.  "He  only 
saw  me  for  a  second  in  the  hall  of  the  Club,  and  he 
was  so  agitated  then  that  even  a  beautiful  face  like 


The  Royal  Enterprise  i75 

mine  might  have  escaped  him.  Still  I  should  think 
they  were  bound  to  get  on  our  track  sooner  or  later. 
That's  the  worst  of  a  carelessly  built  place  like 
London.  One  always  runs  into  the  people  one  doesn't 
want  to  meet. " 

"There  are  those  other  men  too,"  said  Guy,  who 
was  evidently  pondering  each  point  in  the  problem — 
"the  men  who  are  following  her  about.  What  do 
you  make  of  them?" 

"I  shall  have  to  make  an  example  of  them, "  said 
Tony  firmly.  "I  really  can't  have  dirty  foreigners 
hanging  about  outside  my  house.  It's  so  bad  for 
one's  reputation. " 

"Oh,  do  be  serious  for  a  moment,"  pleaded  Guy 
almost  angrily.  "We  are  m  this  business  now, 
and " 

''We!''  echoed  Tony  with  pleasure.  "My  dear 
Guy!  Do  you  really  mean  that  you're  going  to  lend 
us  your  powerful  aid  ? ' ' 

"Of  course  I  am,"  said  Guy  impatiently.  "I 
think  you  were  very  foolish  to  mix  yourself  up  in 
the  affair  at  all,  but  since  you  have  chosen  to  do  it, 
you  don't  suppose  that  I  shall  desert  you.  If  ever 
you  wanted  assistance  I  should  say  you  did  now.  " 

Tony  leaned  across,  and  taking  his  cousin's  hand, 
shook  it  warmly  over  the  breakfast  table. 

' '  Dear  old  Guy, ' '  he  observed.  ' '  I  always  thought 
that  under  a  rather  forbidding  exterior  you  con- 
cealed the  heart  of  a  true  sportsman.  " 

"Nonsense,"  returned  Guy.  "I  am  your  secre- 
tary, and  it's  my  business  to  look  after  you  when 


176        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

you  make  an  idiot  of  yourself. "  He  paused.  "Be- 
sides, "  he  added,  "there  is  the  girl  to  be  considered. " 

Tony  nodded.  "Yes,"  he  said,  "we  must  con- 
sider Isabel.  By  the  way  I  have  never  thanked  you 
for  being  so  nice  to  her  yesterday.  She  told  me  that 
you  were  perfectly  charming.  " 

For  a  second  time  Guy's  face  assumed  a  faint  tinge 
of  colour. 

"One  couldn't  help  feeling  sorry  for  the  child  when 
one  spoke  to  her,  "  he  said  stiffly.  ' '  It  appears  to  be 
no  fault  of  her  own  that  she  has  been  put  in  this 
impossible  position."  He  hesitated  for  a  moment. 
"I  hope  to  goodness,  Tony,  "  he  added,  "that  you — 
you " 

Tony  laughed  softly.  "It's  quite  all  right,"  he 
said.  "Don't  be  alarmed,  Guy.  My  feelings  to- 
wards Isabel  are  as  innocent  as  the  dawn."  He 
glanced  at  the  slim  gold  watch  that  he  wore  on  his 
wrist,  and  then  in  a  leisurely  fashion  got  up  from  his 
chair.  ' '  I  hate  to  break  up  this  charming  breakfast 
party,"  he  said,  "but  I  must  be  off.  I  am  going 
to  look  up  Isabel  on  my  way  to  Aunt  Fanny's.  I 
want  to  see  how  many  intruding  strangers  Bugg  has 
murdered  in  the  night.  " 

Guy  also  rose  to  his  feet. 

' '  I  say,  Tony, ' '  he  said.  ' '  Let  us  understand  each 
other  quite  clearly.  However  you  choose  to  look  at 
it,  this  is  an  uncommonly  serious  business — and  there 
are  some  very  ugly  possibilities  in  it.  We  can't 
afford  to  treat  it  as  a  jok^^ — not  if  you  really  want  to 
keep  Isabel  out  of  these  people's  hands.  " 


The  Royal  Enterprise  177 

Tony  nodded  his  head.  "I  know  that,  Guy/*  he 
said.  "I  can't  help  my  incurable  light-heartedness, 
but  I  can  assure  you  that  Cousin  Henry  himself 
couldn't  be  more  deadly  serious  about  it  than  I  am. 
I  promise  you  faithfully  I  won't  play  the  fool. " 

"Right  you  are,"  said  Guy.  "In  that  case  you 
can  count  on  me  to  the  utmost. " 

It  was  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour  later  when  Tony 
pulled  up  the  big  Peugot  outside  Mrs.  Spalding's, 
and  climbing  down  from  his  seat  pushed  open  the 
gate.  As  he  did  so  the  door  of  the  house  was  opened 
in  turn  by  Bugg,  who  presented  a  singularly  spruce 
and  animated  appearance.  His  hair  had  evidently 
been  brushed  and  brilliantined  with  extreme  care, 
and  he  was  wearing  a  tight-fitting  black  and  white 
check  suit  that  reminded  one  of  a  carefully  made 
draught-board. 

"Good-morning,  Bugg,  "  said  Tony,  as  he  came  up 
the  steps.     "You  look  very  beautiful.  " 

Bugg  saluted  with  a  slightly  embarrassed  smile. 

"I  brought  along  me  Sunday  togs,  Sir  Ant'ny; 
seein'  as  'ow  I  was  to  be  livin'  in  the  'ouse  with 
two  ladies. " 

"Quite  right,  Bugg,"  said  Tony  approvingly. 
"It's  just  that  thoughtfulness  in  small  matters  that 
makes  the  true  artist  in  life.  "  He  paused  to  pull  off 
his  driving  gloves.     "Is  there  any  news?"  he  asked. 

Bugg  cast  a  quick  warning  glance  over  his  shoulder 
into  the  house. 

' '  'Ere's  the  young  laidy,  sir,  "  he  replied  in  a  hoarse 
whisper.     ' '  See  yer  ahtside  after. ' ' 


178        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

He  moved  away  as  Isabel  came  lightly  down  the 
stairs,  and  advanced  along  the  passage  to  meet  them. 

She  greeted  Tony  with  just  the  faintest  touch  of 
shyness,  and  then  led  the  way  into  the  small  sitting- 
room  on  the  right. 

Here  she  held  out  her  hand  to  him,  and  bowing 
over  it  with  extreme  gravity,  Tony  kissed  the  pink 
tip  of  one  of  her  fingers. 

"I  trust  your  Majesty  slept  well?"  he  observed. 

She  pulled  away  her  hand.  "Oh,  please  don't 
tease  me, "  she  said.  "You  can't  imagine  how  funny 
I  feel  about  it  all."  She  paused.  "If  we  hadn't  met 
Uncle  Philip  yesterday,  I  believe  I  should  have  begun 
to  think  the  whole  thing  was  a  dream." 

"Perhaps  it  is,"  said  Tony.  "Personally  I 
shouldn't  be  a  bit  surprised  if  I  woke  up  and  found 
Spalding  standing  by  my  bed  with  a  cup  of  tea.  " 

"It  doesn't  matter  really  anyway,"  said  Isabel, 
"because  we  are  all  dreaming  the  same  thing,  aren't 
we?  You  and  I  and  Bugg,  and — and  your  cousin 
Mr.  Guy." 

"Guy  certainly  is,  "  answered  Tony.  "You  have 
made  a  positively  devastating  conquest  of  poor  Guy. 
How  on  earth  did  you  manage  to  do  it  ? " 

Isabel  opened  her  amber  eyes.     "I  don't  know, " 
she  said  innocently.     "He  was  very  nice  and  kind. 
I  only  talked  to  him  and  smiled  at  him. " 

"Ah,  that  accounts  for  it,"  said  Tony  solemnly. 
He  put  his  hat  down  and  seated  himself  on  the  sofa. 
"You  really  ought  to  be  more  careful,"  he  added. 
"It  isn't  fair  to  go  about  bewitching  respectable 


The  Royal  Enterprise  179 

secretaries.  You  never  know  what  they  may  turn 
into." 

"Have  you  told  him?"  asked  Isabel. 

"Everything,"  said  Tony.  "He  is  yearning  to 
plunge  into  the  fray  and  re-seat  you  on  the  throne 
of  Livadia.  I  left  him  practising  sword  exercises  in 
the  hall." 

Isabel  laughed,  and  opening  the  bag  that  was 
lying  on  the  table  beside  her  took  out  a  little  silver 
cigarette  case,  which  she  offered  to  Tony. 

' '  Do  have  one,  "  she  said.  ' '  I  bought  it  yesterday 
afternoon  out  of  the  money  you  gave  me.  It  was 
very  extravagant,  but  I  love  shopping.  You  see  I 
have  not  been  allowed  to  do  any  in  London.  " 

Tony,  who  never  smoked  anything  but  Virginian 
tobacco,  helped  himself  bravely  to  a  gold  tipped  pro- 
duct of  the  Turkish  Empire,  and  lit  it  with  apparent 
zest. 

"All  the  truest  pleasure  in  life  comes  from  doing 
things  one  hasn't  been  allowed  to  do, "  he  observed. 
"To  enjoy  anything  properly  one  ought  to  go  in  for 
a  long  course  of  self-denial  first. " 

* '  I — I  suppose  you're  right, ' '  said  Isabel  doubtfully, 
"but  it's  rather  difficult,  isn't  it?" 

"I  should  think  it  was,"  said  Tony.  "I  have 
never  tried  it  myself."  He  felt  in  his  pocket  for  a 
moment,  and  then  pulled  out  a  cheque  book,  which 
bore  the  stamped  address  of  the  same  Hampstead 
bank  at  which  he  kept  his  own  account. 

"This  is  yours,  Isabel, "  he  said  handing  it  across 
to  her.     ' '  I  have  paid  the  money  I  got  for  the  brooch 


i8o        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

into  your  account,  so  you  can  go  on  shopping  as  long 
and  fiercely  as  you  like.  Do  you  know  how  to  draw 
a  cheque?" 

Isabel  nodded.  "Oh,  yes,"  she  said.  "You  just 
fill  it  in  and  write  your  name  at  the  bottom,  and 
then  they  give  you  the  money.  It's  quite  easy,  isn't 
it." 

"Quite,  "  said  Tony.     "All  real  miracles  are." 

Isabel  slipped  away  the  cheque  book  into  her  bag. 
Then  she  looked  at  Tony  with  that  half  childish  and 
wholly  delightful  smile  of  hers. 

"Now  I  am  rich,"  she  said.  "I  can  begin  enter- 
taining." She  hesitated.  "Should  I  be  doing  any- 
thing very  dreadful — I — I  mean  from  the  English 
point  of  view — if  I  asked  you  to  come  and  have 
dinner  with  me  somewhere  to-night?" 

"Of  course  you  wouldn't,  "  said  Tony  firmly.  "A 
queen  has  an  absolutely  free  hand  about  things  like 
that.  It's  what  is  called  the  Royal  Prerogative. 
There  is  a  well  established  precedent  in  the  case  of 
Queen  Elizabeth  and  the  Earl  of  Leicester." 

"That's  all  right  then,"  said  Isabel  in  a  relieved 
voice.     ' '  What  time  will  you  come  ? ' ' 

' '  Quite  early, ' '  said  Tony.  ' '  In  fact  I  think  I  will 
come  to  tea  if  I  may.  I  am  lunching  with  Cousin 
Henry  and  his  wife  and  that  always  makes  me 
thirsty."  He  glanced  at  his  watch,  and  then  got 
up  from  the  sofa.  ' '  I  mustn't  stop  any  longer  now,  " 
he  added.  ' '  I  have  several  things  to  do  before  I  get 
to  Chester  Square,  and  it's  so  rude  to  keep  people 
waiting  for  lunch.     Besides  it  spoils  the  lunch. ' ' 


The  Royal  Enterprise  i8i 

Isabel  laughed  happily,  and  rising  to  her  feet  gave 
him  her  hand  again — this  time  with  little  or  no  trace 
of  her  former  shyness.  Indeed  it  was  difficult  to  be 
shy  with  Tony  for  any  very  extended  period. 

"I  will  see  that  you  have  some  nice  tea  anyway, " 
she  said.     "I  will  make  it  for  you  myself. " 

Tony  paused  for  a  moment  on  the  threshold  of 
the  house  to  exchange  his  Turkish  cigarette  for  a 
Virginian,  and  then  strolled  off  down  the  garden 
towards  the  gate.  As  he  approached  the  latter  it 
was  opened  for  him  by  ' '  Tiger ' '  Bugg,  who  had  appar- 
ently been  waiting  patiently  beside  the  car. 

"Don't  look  hup,  sir,  "  observed  that  distinguished 
welter-weight  in  a  low  earnest  voice.  "Jest  carry  on 
saime  as  if  we  was  talkin*  abaht  nothin'  partic'lar. " 

With  an  air  of  complete  indifference  Tony  strolled 
across  the  pavement  to  the  front  of  the  car  and  lifted 
up  the  bonnet.  Bugg  followed,  and  bent  over  the 
exposed  engine  beside  him,  as  though  pointing  out 
some  minor  deficiency. 

"There's  one  of  them  blokes  watchin'  of  us," 
continued  "Tiger"  in  the  same  confidential  tone. 
"  'E's  be'ind  the  fence  opposite.  Bin  'anging  arahnd 
'ere  all  the  blinkin'  morning.  " 

"Really!"  said  Tony  gently.  "Which  of  them  is 
it?" 

"It's  the  shorter  one,  sir.  The  one  I  give  that 
flip  in  the  jaw  to.  I  seen  'im  w'en  I  come  aht  o'  the 
front  door  this  momin'.  'E  was  doin'  a  sorter  boy 
scout  stunt  be'ind  the  bushes,  and  I  'ad  'alf  a  mind  to 
land  'im  with  one  o'   them  loose  bricks.     Then  I 


i82        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

remembers  wot  you'd  said  yesterday — abaht  lyin' 
low  like — so  I  jest  'urns  a  toon  and  pretends  I  'adn't 
spotted  'im. " 

"You  have  the  true  instincts  of  a  sleuth,  Bugg, " 
observed  Tony  approvingly. 

"I  shouldn't  be  'alf  surprised  if  they  was  both 
abaht  somewhere,  "  went  on  the  gratified  "  Tiger"  in 
a  hoarse  whisper.  "It's  my  belief,  sir,  that  they 
mean  to  'ang  arahnd  until  they  sees  a  chance  of  gettin' 
at  the  young  laidy  without  no  interruptions  from  us. 
I'd  bet  a  dollar  that  if  I  was  to  clear  off  the  plaice 
for  'arf  an  hour,  they'd  be  shovin'  their  dirty  selves 
into  the  'ouse  all  right — some'ow  or  other.  " 

"By  Jove!"  exclaimed  Tony  softly.  "You  have 
given  me  an  idea,  Bugg — a  brilliant  idea.  " 

He  continued  to  reflect  in  silence  for  a  moment  or 
two,  and  then  at  last  he  shut  down  the  bonnet  with 
that  particularly  pleasant  smile  of  his  which  Guy 
always  declared  to  be  the  sure  harbinger  of  approach- 
ing trouble. 

"I  shall  return  about  four  o'clock,  Bugg,  "  he  said. 
' '  I  think  we  may  have  an  interesting  and  instructive 
afternoon  ahead  of  us — thanks  to  you.  " 

Bugg  sighed  happily.  "I'll  be  'ere,  sir,"  he  ob- 
served. "I'd  like  to  see  that  there  tall  bloke  again. 
I  'ate  leavin'  a  job  'alf  finished.  " 

"And  meanwhile,"  said  Tony,  "take  particular 
care  of  Miss  Francis.  "It's  quite  possible  there 
may  be  somebody  else  wanting  to  speak  to  her 
privately  besides  our  pals  opposite.  " 

Bugg's  eyes  gleamed.     "It  don't  make  no  differ- 


The  Royal  Enterprise  183 

ence  to  me,  sir,  'ow  many  of  'em  there  is.  Nothin' 
doin'.    That's  my  motter  as  far  as  visitors  goes. " 

Tony  nodded  approvingly,  and  entering  the  car 
started  off  down  the  hill,  leaving  Bugg  standing 
grimly  at  the  gate,  in  an  attitude  that  must  have 
been  deeply  discouraging  to  any  concealed  gentle- 
man who  might  be  hoping  for  an  early  entrance. 

After  visiting  his  tailor  in  Sackville  Street,  and 
discharging  one  or  two  other  less  momentous  duties, 
Tony  made  his  way  to  Chester  Square,  where  he 
pulled  up  outside  Lady  Jocelyn's  house,  exactly  as 
the  clock  of  St.  Peter's  was  striking  one-thirty. 

Punctual  as  he  was  Laura  and  Henry  had  arrived 
before  him.  He  heard  the  former's  rich  contralto 
voice  in  full  swing  as  the  maid  preceded  him  up  the 
staircase,  and  it  was  with  that  vague  feeling  of  de- 
pression the  sound  invariably  inspired  in  him  that 
he  entered  the  charmingly  furnished  little  drawing- 
room. 

Lady  Jocelyn,  who  looked  rather  like  an  old  ivory 
miniature,  was  sitting  on  the  sofa,  and  going  up  to  her 
Tony  bent  over  and  kissed  her  affectionately.  Then 
he  shook  hands  with  both  his  cousins. 

"I  have  been  hearing  the  most  wonderful  things 
about  you,  Tony,  "  said  Lady  Jocelyn.  "If  I  didn't 
dislike  veal  so  much  I  should  certainly  have  killed 
the  fatted  calf  for  lunch.  Is  it  really  true  that  you 
are  going  to  become  the  member  for — for — where  is 
it,  Laura?" 

"Balham  North,  "  remarked  Laura  firmly. 

She  was  a  tall  fair-haired  lady,  with  thin  lips,  a 


184        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

masterful  nose,  and  a  pair  of  relentless  blue  eyes. 

"  I  believe  it's  quite  true,  Aunt  Fanny,"  returned 
Tony.  "  In  fact  I  understand  it  has  all  been  arranged 
except  for  the  formality  of  consulting  the  natives. " 

"  How  splendid,"  said  Lady  Jocelyn.  "  And  who 
are  the  natives?  I  always  thought  Balham  was  still 
unexplored." 

Tony  shook  his  head.  ' '  Oh,  no,  "  he  said.  ' '  Henry 
has  been  right  into  the  interior.  He  can  even  speak 
the  language — can't  you,  Henry?" 

"There  is  nothing  to  laugh  at  about  Balham," 
said  Henry  a  little  stiffly.  "It  is  one  of  the  best 
residential  suburbs  in  London.  " 

"And  extremely  well  educated  politically,  "  put  in 
Laura  in  her  clear  incisive  voice.  "I  have  been 
looking  into  the  matter,  and  I  find  that  our  various 
temperance  and  purity  leagues  have  no  less  than 
seven  branches  there,  and  that  the  reports  from  all 
of  them  are  distinctly  encouraging.  On  the  whole  I 
regard  it  as  one  of  the  must  hopeful  constituencies 
in  London." 

Lady  Jocelyn  looked  a  little  puzzled.  "What  do 
they  hope  for?"  she  inquired. 

"Lunch  m'lady, "  remarked  the  parlour-maid, 
opening  the  door. 

"In  that  case, "  said  Tony  gravely,  "they  couldn't 
have  chosen  a  more  efficient  representative." 

Like  the  wise  woman  she  was,  Lady  Jocelyn  always 
had  an  excellent  cook,  and  a  single  glance  at  the  menu 
as  they  settled  themselves  down  round  the  table  had 
an  inspiriting  effect  upon  the  entire  party.     Even 


The  Royal  Enterprise  185 

Laura  was  not  wholly  exempt  from  its  influence. 
Though  a  stem  advocate  of  the  superior  food  value 
of  lentils  and  beans  as  far  as  the  poor  were  concerned, 
she  herself  had  a  very  handsome  appreciation  for  the 
less  scientific  forms  of  diet.  She  ate  with  enthusi- 
asm and  staying  power;  after  a  second  helping  of 
mousse  of  ham  and  cold  asparagus,  she  became  more 
affable  than  Tony  had  ever  seen  her. 

"I  can  hardly  describe  the  satisfaction  that  Tony's 
decision  to  stand  has  given  to  Henry  and  me, "  she 
observed  to  Lady  Jocelyn.  "We  have  been  trying 
for  years  to  persuade  him  to  do  something  worthy 
of  his  position.  A  life  of  empty  pleasure  is  such 
an  appallingly  bad  example  for  the  poor." 

"I  am  not  quite  sure  that  I  agree  with  you  there,  " 
said  Tony.  ' '  I  believe  the  possibility  of  being  able  to 
live  eventually  in  complete  idleness  is  one  of  the  few 
real  incentives  to  hard  work.  There  ought  to  be  one 
or  two  examples  about,  so  that  people  can  realize 
how  pleasant  that  sort  of  life  is.  " 

"You  have  done  your  share,  Tony,"  said  Lady 
Jocelyn  consolingly.  * '  You  will  be  able  to  go  to  sleep 
in  the  House  of  Commons  with  a  perfectly  clear 
conscience. " 

"Of  course  you  are  joking.  Aunt  Fanny,"  said 
Henry.  ' '  You  are  much  too  well  informed  to  believe 
that  sort  of  nonsense.  I  doubt  if  there  is  a  more 
arduous  profession  in  the  world  than  being  a  member 
of  Parliament — provided  of  course  that  a  man  takes 
his  work  seriously.  Tony  has  promised  us  that  he 
will  do  that. " 


1 86        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"And  we  shall  be  there  to  keep  him  up  to  it," 
added  Laura  crisply. 

Lady  Jocelyn  looked  at  Tony  with  some  sympathy. 
' ' I  only  hope  he  won't  break  down, ' '  she  said.  ' '  It's 
not  everyone  who  can  stand  these  severe  strains.  " 

"Oh,  Tony 's  as  sound  as  a  bell,  "  returned  Henry  a 
little  contemptuously.  "Hard  work  will  do  him  all 
the  good  in  the  world — it's  just  what  he  wants.  I 
have  been  advising  him  to  take  up  some  special  sub- 
ject and  master  it  thoroughly  before  he  goes  into  the 
House.  It's  the  only  way  to  get  on  quickly  nowa- 
days."  He  turned  to  Tony.  "Have  you  thought 
that  over  at  all  yet?  I  mean  do  you  feel  a  special 
leaning  towards  any  particular  question  ? ' ' 

Tony  took  a  long  drink  of  champagne  and  put 
down  his  glass. 

"Yes,  Henry,  "  he  said,  "during  the  last  two  days 
I  have  discovered  that  foreign  politics  have  a  remark- 
able attraction  for  me. " 

"Foreign  politics!"  repeated  Henry.  "Well, 
they're  an  interesting  subject,  but  I  should  have 
thought  you  would  have  found  them  a  little  too — too 
— what  shall  we  say — too  remote.  " 

Tony  shook  his  head.  "No,  "  he  said,  "I  haven't 
found  that.  Of  course  I  don't  know  very  much 
about  them  yet,  but  I  expect  to  be  learning  quite  a 
lot  before  long. " 

"Well,  that's  the  right  spirit  anyway,  "  said  Henry 
heartily.  "When  I  get  back  I  will  instruct  my 
secretary  to  send  you  along  some  White  Books  to 
study.     Remember  if  there  is  anything  we  can  do  to 


The  Royal  Enterprise  187 

help  you — introductions  you  would  like  or  anything 
of  that  sort — don't  hesitate  to  ask  us. " 

"I  won't,"  said  Tony. 

Harmoniously  as  matters  had  been  proceeding  up 
to  this  point,  the  remainder  of  the  lunch  party  was 
even  more  of  a  pronounced  success.  It  was  evident 
that  Tony's  sudden  and  surprising  absorption  in 
world  politics  was  highly  approved  of  both  by  Henry 
and  Laura,  who  seemed  to  regard  it  as  a  sign  that  he 
was  beginning  to  take  his  Parliamentary  career  with 
becoming  seriousness.  If  at  times  old  Lady  Jocelyn's 
twinkling  black  eyes  suggested  a  certain  amount  of 
scepticism  in  the  matter,  she  at  least  said  nothing 
to  disturb  this  pleasant  impression,  while  Tony 
himself  sustained  his  new  role  with  that  imperturb- 
able ease  of  manner  which  never  seemed  to  desert 
him. 

It  was  nearly  half-past  three  before  Laura  and 
Henry  rose  to  go,  and  then  they  took  their  leave  with 
an  approving  friendliness  that  reminded  one  of  a 
tutor  saying  good-bye  to  a  promising  pupil. 

"I  will  have  those  White  Books  sent  round  at 
once,  "  said  Henry,  warmly  shaking  his  cousin's  hand. 
"There  is  a  new  one  just  issued  dealing  with  the 
Patagonia  boundary  dispute.  You  will  find  it  most 
interesting." 

"It  sounds  ripping,  "  said  Tony. 

"And  you  needn't  worry  a  bit  about  your  elec- 
tion," added  Laura.  "Henry's  seat  is  so  safe  that 
I  shall  be  able  to  give  up  my  entire  time  to  helping 
you." 


i88         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"That  will  be  nice,  won't  it,  Tony?"  said  Lady 
Jocelyn  innocently. 

She  rose  to  her  feet  with  the  aid  of  her  ebony  stick, 
and  taking  Henry's  arm  accompanied  him  and 
Laura  to  the  head  of  the  staircase,  where  she  said 
good-bye  to  them  both.  She  then  came  back  into  the 
room,  and  closing  the  door  behind  her,  shook  her  head 
slowly  and  reprovingly  at  the  future  member  for 
Balham  North. 

"I  should  like  to  know  exactly  what  pleasant  sur- 
prise you  are  preparing  for  them,  Tony,  "  she  said. 

Tony  came  up,  and  putting  his  arm  round  her, 
conducted  her  gently  to  her  customary  place  on  the 
sofa. 

"I  wonder  if  the  Prodigal  Son  had  a  sceptical 
aunt?"  he  said  sadly. 

With  a  little  chuckle  Lady  Jocelyn  settled  herself 
into  her  seat.  "Probably,  "  she  replied;  "and  if  she 
carved  the  veal  I  have  no  doubt  she  gave  him  the  best 
helping. " 

Tony  stood  back  and  surveyed  her  affectionately. 
"Do  you  know  what  an  Enterprise  is.  Aunt  Fanny?  " 
he  asked.  "An  Enterprise  with  a  large  capital  E  at 
the  beginning?" 

Lady  Jocelyn  looked  up  at  him  with  an  air  of  mild 
surprise. 

"I  believe  it  is  a  thing  that  people  prosecute," 
she  replied.     "  Why  do  you  ask  ? " 

"I  am  engaged  on  one,"  said  Tony.  "I  can't 
tell  you  what  it  is  to-day,  because  I  have  got  to  go  in 
three  minutes,  and  I  always  stammer  if  I  try  to  talk 


The  Royal  Enterprise  189 

quickly.     Besides  it's  too  interesting  to  hurry  over.  " 

"My  dear  Tony,"  said  Lady  Jocelyn;  "you  fill 
me  with  curiosity.  If  you  don't  come  round  again 
soon  and  tell  me  all  about  it  I  shall  never  forgive 
you." 

"I  shall  come,  "  said  Tony.  "I  fancy  it's  going  to 
be  one  of  those  enterprises  which  will  absorb  a  good 
deal  of  advice  and  assistance.  " 

"You  can  count  on  mine,"  said  Lady  Jocelyn, 
' '  even  if  I  have  to  imperil  my  hitherto  unblemished 
reputation  in  Chester  Square.  " 

Tony  bent  down  and  kissed  her  cheek.  "Dear 
Aunt  Fanny,  "  he  said.  "I  should  certainly  propose 
to  you  if  it  wasn't  forbidden  in  the  prayer-book. " 

Lady  Jocelyn  laughed  and  patted  his  hand.  "I 
appreciate  the  compliment,  Tony,"  she  said,  "but 
perhaps  it's  just  as  well  as  it  is.  I  am  getting  old, 
and  you  would  be  a  very  bad  preparation  for  the  next 
world."  She  paused.  "Remember,  "  she  added;  "if 
you  don't  come  back  within  three  days  and  tell  me 
all  about  the  Enterprise  I  shall  put  the  matter  in  the 
hands  of  the  S.P.C.A." 

"What's  that?"  inquired  Tony. 

"The  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to 
Aunts,  "  said  Lady  Jocelyn. 

A  slight  but  natural  reluctance  on  the  part  of  the 
Peugot  to  leave  such  a  select  neighbourhood,  delayed 
Tony  for  several  minutes  outside  the  house.  At 
length,  however,  he  managed  to  persuade  the  big 
car  to  start,  and  just  baffling  a  masterly  attempt  at 


I90         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

suicide  by  a  passing  terrier,  he  set  off  on  his  return 
journey  to  Hampstead. 

He  did  not  go  direct  to  Mrs.  Spalding's,  but  con- 
tinued his  way  straight  up  Haverstock  Hill  and 
across  the  Heath  to  his  own  house.  Here  he  got  out 
and  handed  the  car  over  to  the  care  of  Jennings,  who 
came  sauntering  down  from  the  gargage  in  his  usual 
sombre  fashion. 

"You  can  put  her  away,  Jennings,"  he  said, 
brushing  the  dust  from  his  sleeve.  "  If  I  want  any- 
thing to-night  I  shall  take  a  taxi.  This  perpetual 
dashing  about  in  high-powered  cars  is  apt  to  induce 
arrogance. " 

Jennings  received  this  statement  with  an  unmoved 
expression,  and  leaving  him  to  carry  out  his  instruc- 
tions, Tony  entered  the  hall.  He  walked  across  to 
the  stick  rack  in  the  comer,  where  he  proceeded  to 
select  a  large  and  particularly  heavy  Irish  blackthorn 
from  the  numerous  specimens  that  it  contained. 
He  weighed  this  thoughtfully  in  his  hand,  and  then, 
apparently  satisfied  with  its  possibilities,  he  lighted 
himself  a  cigar  and  strolled  off  down  the  drive  and  out 
across  the  Heath  in  the  direction  of  Mrs.  Spalding's 
house. 


CHAPTER  XI 


THE    BAITED    TRAP 


Latimer  Lane,  which  was  the  name  of  the  se- 
cluded little  road  in  which  the  Spaldings'  house  was 
situated,  presented  a  most  restful  appearance  as 
Tony  entered  it  from  the  upper  end.  Except  for  a 
solitary  cat  sunning  herself  in  the  gutter,  there  was 
no  sign  of  life  throughout  its  entire  length.  If  any 
sinister-looking  gentlemen  were  really  lurking  in  the 
neighbourhood,  they  had  at  least  succeeded  in  con- 
cealing themselves  with  the  most  praiseworthy  skill. 

With  his  blackthorn  in  his  hand  Tony  sauntered 
peacefully  along  the  pavement.  There  was  nothing 
about  his  appearance  to  suggest  that  he  was  taking 
any  unusual  interest  in  his  surroundings.  His  whole 
demeanour  was  as  free  from  suspicion  as  that  of  the 
cat  herself,  who  merely  opened  one  sleepy  eye  at  his 
approach,  and  then  closed  it  again  with  an  air  of  sun- 
warmed  indifference. 

He  turned  in  at  the  gate  of  Mrs.  Spalding's  house 
without  so  much  as  a  backward  glance,  and  strolling 
up  the  garden  path,  knocked  lightly  at  the  door.  It 
was  opened  almost  immediately  by  Bugg,   whose 

191 


192         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

face  lit  up  with  that  same  sort  of  simple-hearted 
smile  that  Ney  used  to  assume  at  the  appearance  of 
Napoleon. 

"It's  all  right,  sir,"  he  whispered  exultingly,  as 
soon  as  the  door  was  closed  again.  '"E's  still  there, 
an'  'tother  bloke  too!" 

Tony  hung  up  his  hat,  and  with  tender  care 
deposited  his  blackthorn  on  the  hall  table. 

"That's  splendid,  Bugg, "  he  said.  "Where  is 
Miss  Francis?" 

With  a  jerk  of  his  thumb,  Bugg  indicated  the 
basement. 

"She's  dahn  there  along  o*  Mrs.  Spalding, 
sir." 

The  words  had  hardly  left  his  lips,  when  Isabel, 
slightly  flushed  and  looking  prettier  than  ever, 
emerged  from  the  head  of  the  kitchen  stairs. 

"Oh,  "  she  said,  "you  have  just  come  at  the  right 
time.  Mrs.  Spalding  and  I  have  been  making  some 
scones  for  tea. " 

Tony  looked  at  her  in  admiration.  "What  wild 
and  unexpected  talents  you  have,  Isabel,"  he 
remarked. 

She  laughed  happily.  "I  can  make  very  good 
scones,  "  she  said.  "That  was  one  of  the  extra  and 
private  accomplishments  that  Miss  Watson  taught 
me."  She  paused.  "How  soon  would  you  like 
to  have  tea  ? ' ' 

Do  you  mind  putting  it  off  for  a  little  bit  ? "  said 
Tony.  "I  have  got  something  I  want  to  speak 
to  you  about  first, "     He  turned  to  Bugg.     "Go  out 


The  Baited  Trap  193 

into  the  yard  behind,  Bugg, "  he  said,  "and  have  a 
nice  careful  look  at  the  back  wall.  I  want  to  know  if 
it's  fairly  easy  to  climb  and  what  there  is  the  other 
side  of  it. " 

With  that  invaluable  swiftness  of  action  that 
distinguishes  a  successful  welter-weight,  Bugg 
wheeled  round  and  shot  off  on  his  errand.  Isabel 
gazed  after  him  for  a  moment  in  surprise,  and  then 
turned  back  to  Tony  with  a  slightly  bewildered 
expression. 

"Is  there  anything  the  matter?"  she  asked. 

"Nothing  the  least  serious,"  said  Tony  reassur- 
ingly. '  *  I  am  thinking  of  entertaining  a  couple  of  old 
friends  of  ours  who  are  too  shy  to  call  in  the  usual 
way." 

A  sudden  look  of  understanding  flashed  into 
Isabel's  face,  and  taking  a  quick  step  forward  she 
laid  her  hand  lightly  on  Tony's  arm. 

"You  mean  those  men — those  two  men?"  she 
whispered.  "Why — are  they  outside?  Have  they 
found  out  where  I  am?" 

Tony  patted  her  hand.  "There's  nothing  to  be 
frightened  about,  Isabel,"  he  said.  "At  least  not 
for  us." 

She  drew  herself  up  proudly.  "I'm  not  fright- 
ened, "  she  said,  "not  a  bit.  I  told  you  I  should  never 
be  frightened  again  as  long  as  I  had  you  to  help  me.  " 
She  took  a  long  breath.  "What  are  you  going  to 
do?"  she  asked.     "Kill  them?" 

Tony  laughed.     "I  think  we  ought  to  find  out 

first  what  they  want,"  he  said.     "There's  a  sort  of 
13 


194        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

prejudice  in  this  country  against  massacring  people 
at  sight. " 

"I — I  forgot  we  were  in  England,"  said  Isabel 
apologetically.  ' '  I  have  heard  father  and  the  others 
talk  so  much  about  killing  people,  it  doesn't  seem 
nearly  as  serious  to  me  as  it  ought  to.  " 

"Never  mind,"  said  Tony  consolingly.  "We  all 
have  our  weak  points.  "  He  leaned  over  and  tipped 
off  the  ash  of  his  cigar  into  the  umbrella  stand. 
"According  to  Bugg,  "  he  added,  "our  two  friends 
have  been  hanging  about  outside  the  house  ever  since 
Tuesday. " 

Isabel  opened  her  eyes.  "Since  Tuesday!"  she 
repeated.     "But  why  didn't  you  tell  me?" 

"I  didn't  want  to  worry  you.  I  knew  you  would 
be  quite  safe  with  Bugg  here,  so  I  thought  it  was 
better  to  wait  until  I  had  made  up  my  mind  what 
to  do."  He  paused.  "Whoever  these  two  beau- 
ties are  it's  quite  evident  that  what  they're  really 
yearning  for  is  another  little  private  chat  with  you. 
At  least  it's  difficult  to  see  what  else  they  can 
be  after  unless  they  are  going  in  for  a  fresh  air 
cure. " 

Isabel  nodded  her  head.  "It's  me  all  right, "  she 
observed  with  some  conviction. 

"Well,  under  the  circumstances,"  pursued  Tony 
tranquilly,  "I  propose  to  give  them  the  chance  of 
gratifying  their  ambition.  I  always  like  to  help 
people  gratify  their  ambition,  even  if  it  involves  a 
little  personal  trouble  and  exertion.  " 

Isabel's  amber  eyes  lit  up  with  an  expectant  and 


The  Baited  Trap  195 

rather  unkind  pleasure.  "What  are  you  going  to 
do?"  she  asked  again. 

"It  depends  to  a  certain  extent  on  Bugg's  report, " 
replied  Tony.  "The  idea  is  that  he  and  I  should  go 
out  by  the  front  gate,  work  our  way  round  to  the  back, 
and  make  a  quiet  and  unobtrusive  re-entrance  over 
the  garden  wall.  We  should  then  be  on  the  premises 
in  case  any  one  took  it  into  their  heads  to  call  during 
our  absence. " 

Isabel  laughed  joyously.  "That's  a  lovely  idea,  " 
she  exclaimed.     "  I  do  hope ' ' 

She  was  interrupted  by  the  sudden  reappearance 
of  Bugg,  who  came  rapidly  up  the  staircase  in  the 
same  noiseless  and  unexpected  fashion  that  he  had 
departed  in. 

"Well?"  said  Tony,  throwing  away  the  stump  of 
his  cigar. 

"There  ain't  nothin'  wrong  abaht  the  wall,  sir," 
replied  Bugg  cheerfully.  "One  can  'op  over  that  as 
easy  as  sneezin'. " 

"What  is  there  the  other  side  of  it?"  asked  Tony. 

"It  gives  on  to  the  back  garden  of  the  'Ollies — 
that  big  empty  'ouse  in  'Eath  Street." 

"How  very  obliging  of  it,  "  said  Tony  contentedly. 
He  turned  to  Isabel.  "It's  no  good  wasting  time,  is 
it?"  he  added.  "I  think  I  had  better  go  straight 
down  and  tell  Mrs.  Spalding  what  we  propose  to  do. 
She  ought  to  know  something  about  it,  just  in  case  we 
have  to  slaughter  any  one  on  her  best  carpet. " 

Isabel  looked  a  little  doubtful.  ' '  I  hope  she  won't 
mind,"  she  said. 


196         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"I  don't  think  she  will, "  replied  Tony.  "I  have 
always  found  her  most  reasonable  about  trifles. ' '  He 
turned  back  to  Bugg.  "Better  find  a  bag  or  some- 
thing to  take  with  you  when  you  go  out,  "  he  added. 
' '  I  want  you  to  look  as  if  you  were  on  your  way  back 
to  Goodman's  Rest. " 

Bugg  saluted,  and  making  his  way  downstairs, 
Tony  tapped  gently  at  what  appeared  to  be  the 
kitchen  door.  It  was  opened  by  Mrs.  Spalding  who 
at  the  sight  of  her  visitor  showed  distinct  traces  of 
surprise  and  concern. 

"Why  ever  didn't  you  ring,  Sir  Antony?"  she 
inquired  almost  reproachfully. 

"It's  all  right,  Mrs.  Spalding,"  he  replied  in  his 
cheerful  fashion.  ' '  I  came  down  purposely  because 
I  want  to  have  a  little  private  talk  with  you. "  He 
moved  aside  a  plate,  and  before  she  could  protest 
seated  himself  on  the  corner  of  the  table.  "You 
remember  what  I  told  you  a  couple  of  days  ago 
about  the  house  being  watched?" 

"Indeed  yes,  sir,"  said  Mrs.  Spalding.  "They 
are  still  hanging  about  the  place  according  to  what 
Bugg  says.  I  am  sure  I  don't  know  what  the  police 
can  be  up  to  allowing  a  thing  like  that  to  go  on  in  a 
respectable  neighbourhood. " 

"It's  scandalous,  "  agreed  Tony  warmly.  "As  far 
as  I  can  see  the  only  thing  to  do  is  to  take  the  matter 
into  our  hands.  The  men  are  probably  a  couple  of 
ruffians  employed  to  watch  the  place  by  Miss 
Francis'  guardian." 

Mrs.  Spalding  nodded  her  head.     ' '  I  shouldn't  be  a 


The  Baited  Trap  197 

bit  surprised,  sir.     Them  foreigners  are  up  to  any- 
thing." 

"It  must  be  put  a  stop  to,"  said  Tony  firmly. 
"Of  course  I  could  insist  upon  the  police  taking  it 
up,  but  I  think  on  the  whole  it  would  be  better  if  we 
tackled  the  matter  ourselves.  One  doesn't  want  the 
half-penny  papers  to  get  hold  of  it,  or  anything  of 
that  sort." 

"Certainly  not,  sir,"  said  Mrs.  Spalding  in  a 
shocked  voice.  ' '  It  would  never  do  for  a  gentleman 
in  your  position. " 

"Well,  I  have  thought  of  a  plan,"  began  Tony, 
"but  the  fact  is — "  he  paused  artistically — "well, 
the  fact  is,  Mrs.  Spalding,  I  should  hardly  like  to 
trouble  you  any  further  after  the  extremely  kind  way 
in  which  you  have  already  helped  us.  " 

The  good  woman  was  visibly  affected.  "You 
mustn't  think  of  that.  Sir  Antony,"  she  protested. 
"I  am  sure  it's  a  real  pleasure  to  do  anything  I  can 
for  you  and  the  young  lady — such  a  nice  sweet- 
spoken  young  lady  she  is  too.  " 

"Well,  of  course,  if  you  really  feel  like  that  about 
it,"  observed  Tony;  and  without  wasting  efforts  on 
any  further  diplomacy,  he  proceeded  to  sketch  out 
the  plan  of  campaign  that  he  had  already  described 
to  Isabel. 

"It's  quite  simple,  you  see,"  he  finished.  "We 
pop  back  over  the  garden  wall  and  through 
the  kitchen  window,  and  there  we  are.  Then  if 
these  scoundrels  do  turn  up  and  ask  for  Miss 
Francis,   you    have  only  got  to  let   them  in  and 


198         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

leave  the  rest  to  us.  I  don't  think  they  will 
bother  us  much  more — not  after  I've  finished 
with  them. " 

For  a  respectable  woman,  who  had  hitherto  led  a 
peaceful  and  law-abiding  life,  Mrs.  Spalding  received 
the  scheme  with  surprising  calmness. 

"You  will  be  careful  about  the  climbing  the  wall, 
won't  you,  sir?"  she  observed.  "It's  that  old, 
there's  no  knowing  whether  it  will  bear  a  gentleman 
of  your  weight. " 

"Oh,  that's  all  right,  Mrs.  Spalding,"  said  Tony 
reassuringly.     ' '  I  shall  allow  Bugg  to  go  first.  " 

He  got  down  off  the  table,  and  after  once  more 
expressing  his  thanks,  made  his  way  upstairs  again 
into  the  hall. 

He  found  Isabel  standing  at  the  door  of  the  sitting- 
room  just  as  he  had  left  her. 

"Well?"  she  asked  eagerly. 

"There  are  no  difficulties,"  said  Tony.  "Mrs. 
Spalding  is  all  for  a  forward  policy." 

As  he  spoke  there  was  a  sound  of  footsteps  above 
them,  and  Bugg  descended  the  staircase  carrying  a 
small  bag  in  one  hand  and  his  cap  in  the  other. 

"I  think  we  may  as  well  make  a  start,  "  continued 
Tony.  "Don't  hurry  yourself, 'Tiger.'  Just  paddle 
along  comfortably,  and  whatever  you  do  keep  your 
eyes  off  the  opposite  side  of  the  road.  You  can 
either  take  the  bag  back  to  Goodman's  Rest,  or  else 
leave  it  in  the  bar  at  the  Castle.  Anyhow  meet  me 
in  a  quarter  of  an  hour's  time  in  the  back  garden  of 
the  Hollies." 


The  Baited  Trap  199 

Bugg  nodded  his  head.  "I'll  be  there,  Sir  Ant'ny,  " 
he  replied  grimly. 

Tony  pushed  open  the  door  of  the  sitting-room. 
"We  had  better  wait  in  here,  Isabel,  "  he  said.  "We 
mustn't  be  seen  conspiring  together  in  the  hall  when 
Bugg  goes  out,  or  it  might  put  the  enemy  on  his 
guard." 

A  few  seconds  later  the  peace  of  Latimer  Lane  was 
suddenly  disturbed  by  the  banging  of  Mrs.  Spald- 
ing's front  door.  Whistling  a  bright  little  music  hall 
ditty  to  himself,  Bugg  came  marching  down  the  gar- 
den path  and  passed  out  through  the  gate  into  the 
roadway.  He  paused  for  a  moment  to  extract  and 
light  himself  a  Woodbine  cigarette,  and  then,  with- 
out looking  back  at  the  house,  set  off  at  a  leisurely 
pace  in  the  direction  of  the  Heath. 

For  ten  minutes  a  deep  unbroken  hush  brooded 
over  the  neighbourhood.  If  there  were  any  human 
beings  about  they  still  remained  silent  and  invisible, 
while  the  solitary  cat,  who  had  glanced  up  resent- 
fully as  Bugg  passed,  gradually  resumed  her  former 
attitude  of  somnolent  repose. 

Then  once  more  the  door  of  number  sixteen  opened, 
and  Tony  and  Isabel  made  their  appearance.  The 
latter  was  wearing  no  hat,  and  her  red-gold  hair 
gleamed  in  the  sunshine,  like  copper  in  the  firelight. 
They  strolled  down  together  as  far  as  the  gate,  where 
they  remained  for  a  few  moments  laughing  and 
chatting.  Then,  with  a  final  and  fairly  audible 
observation  to  the  effect  that  he  would  be  back  about 
six,  Tony  took  his  departure.     He  went  off  to  the 


200        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

left,  in  the  opposite  direction  from  that  patronized 
by  Bugg. 

Turning  lightly  round  Isabel  sauntered  back  up 
the  garden.  The  front  door  closed  behind  her,  and 
once  again  peace — the  well  ordered  peace  of  a  supe- 
rior London  suburb,  descended  upon  Latimer  Lane. 

At  the  back  of  the  house  Mrs.  Spalding  was 
standing  at  the  kitchen  window,  which  she  had 
pushed  up  to  its  fullest  extent.  Her  eyes  were  fixed 
anxiously  upon  the  summit  of  the  wall  which  divided 
her  miniature  back  yard  from  the  adjoining  prop- 
erty. It  was  a  venerable  wall,  of  early  Victorian 
origin,  about  twelve  feet  in  height,  and  thickly  cov- 
ered with  a  mat  of  ivy. 

At  last,  from  the  other  side  came  a  faint  rustle, 
followed  almost  immediately  by  the  unmistakable 
scrape  and  scuffle  of  somebody  attempting  an  ascent. 
Then  a  hand  and  arm  appeared  over  the  top,  and 
a  moment  later  Bugg  had  hoisted  himself  into 
view,  and  was  sitting  astride  the  parapet.  He 
paused  for  an  instant  to  whisper  back  some  hoarse 
but  inaudible  remark,  and  then  catching  hold  of 
the  ivy  swung  himself  neatly  and  rapidly  to  the 
ground. 

There  was  another  and  rather  louder  sciiffle,  and 
Tony  followed  suit.  He  came  down  into  the  yard 
even  quicker  than  Bugg — his  descent  being  some- 
what accelerated  by  the  behaviour  of  a  branch  of  ivy, 
which  detached  itself  from  the  wall,  just  as  he  had 
got  his  full  weight  on  it. 


The  Baited  Trap  201 

"Yer  ain't  'urt  yerself,  'ave  ye,  sir?"  inquired 
the  faithful  "Tiger"  with  some  anxiety, 

Tony  shook  his  head,  and  discarded  the  handful  of 
foliage  that  he  was  still  clutching. 

"One  should  never  trust  entirely  to  Nature, 
Bugg, "  he  observed.  "She  invariably  lets  one 
down." 

He  stopped  to  flick  off  the  dust  and  cobwebs  from 
the  knees  of  his  trousers,  and  then  leading  the  way 
across  the  yard  to  the  kitchen  window,  he  scrambled 
in  over  the  sill. 

"I  am  afraid  I  have  thinned  out  your  ivy  a  bit, 
Mrs.  Spalding,  "  he  remarked  regretfully. 

"It  doesn't  matter  the  least  about  that,  sir, "  re- 
plied Mrs.  Spalding, ' '  so  long  as  you  haven't  gone  and 
shook  yourself  up. " 

"I  don't  think  I  have,"  said  Tony.  "I  feel 
extraordinarily  well  except  for  a  slight  craving  for 
tea."  He  paused.  "No  sign  of  the  enemy  yet,  I 
suppose  ? ' ' 

Mrs.  Spalding  shook  her  head.  "It's  all  been 
quite  quiet  so  far.  Sir  Antony.  " 

"Well,  I  think  we  had  better  go  upstairs  and 
arrange  our  plans,"  he  observed.  "We  may  have 
plenty  of  time,  but  it's  just  as  well  to  be  on  the  safe 
side.  There's  a  strain  of  impetuosity  in  the  foreign 
blood  that  one  has  to  look  out  for. " 

He  moved  towards  the  door;  and  followed  by  Mrs. 
Spalding  and  Bugg — the  latter  of  whom  had  climbed 
in  through  the  window  after  him — he  mounted  the 
flight  of  stone  stairs  that  led  up  into  the  hall. 


202         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"I  suppose  Miss  Francis  is  in  her  bedroom?"  he 
said  turning  to  Mrs.  Spalding. 

She  nodded  her  head.  "Yes,  Sir  Antony.  She 
went  up  directly  she  came  back  into  the  house." 

He  took  a  step  fon\^ard  and  stood  for  a  moment 
contemplating  the  scene  with  the  thoughtful  air  of  a 
general  surveying  the  site  of  a  future  battle. 

"I  think  your  place,  Bugg,  "  he  said,  "will  be  half- 
way up  the  staircase,  just  out  of  sight  of  the  front 
door.  I  shall  wait  in  the  sitting-room,  and  Mrs. 
Spalding  will  be  downstairs  in  the  kitchen."  He 
paused.  "What  will  happen  is  this.  When  the  bell 
rings  Mrs.  Spalding  will  come  up  and  open  the  door. 
Directly  she  does,  our  friends  will  probably  force  their 
way  into  the  hall  and  ask  to  see  Miss  Francis.  They 
will  know  she  is  upstairs,  because  as  a  matter  of  fact 
she  is  sitting  in  the  window  reading  a  book.  " 

"Am  I  to  let  them  through,  sir?"  inquired  Mrs. 
Spalding. 

' '  Not  without  a  protest, ' '  said  Tony ; ' ' but  I  expect 
as  a  matter  of  fact  they  will  simply  push  past  you. 
People  like  that  have  very  bad  manners,  especially 
when  they  are  pressed  for  time.  In  that  case  all  you 
have  got  to  do  will  be  to  fall  back  to  the  kitchen  stairs 
and  leave  the  rest  to  us.  " 

Bugg  sighed  happily.  "An'  then  I  s'pose  I  comes 
dahn  and  we  shoves  it  across  'em,  sir?"  he  inquired. 

' '  That's  the  idea, ' '  said  Tony,  "but  there's  no  need 
to  be  rough  or  unkind  about  it.  All  I  want  to  do 
is  to  get  them  into  the  sitting-room  in  a  sufficiently 
chastened  frame  of  mind  to  answer  a  few  civil  ques- 


The  Baited  Trap  203 

tions.  It  oughtn't  to  be  difficult  unless  they  have 
got  revolvers. " 

"Revolvers!"  repeated  Mrs.  Spalding  in  some 
distress.  "Oh,  dear,  dear!  You  will  be  careful, 
won't  you,  Sir  Antony? " 

"I  shall,  "  said  Tony:  "extremely  careful.  " 

He  walked  to  the  hall  table  and  picked  up  the 
blackthorn  that  he  had  left  lying  there.  "I  don't 
think  I  shall  want  this,"  he  remarked,  "but  per- 
haps  " 

He  broke  off  abruptly,  as  a  faint  sound  from  out- 
side suddenly  reached  his  ear. 

"Listen!"  he  said  softly.     "What's  that?" 

There  was  a  moment's  pause,  and  then  quite  clearly 
came  the  unmistakable  click  of  the  front  gate. 

Swiftly  and  quietly  Tony  stepped  back  to  the 
sitting-room  door. 

"Here  they  are!"  he  announced  with  a  cheerful 
smile.     * '  Take  it  coolly :  there's  heaps  of  time. ' ' 

Considering  the  abrupt  nature  of  the  crisis,  it  must 
be  admitted  that  both  Mrs.  Spalding  and  Bugg  rose 
to  the  occasion  in  the  most  creditable  fashion.  In 
three  strides  the  latter  had  disappeared  up  the  stair- 
case, while  if  ]\Irs.  Spalding  was  a  shade  less  precipi- 
tous, it  was  only  because  she  was  not  so  well  fitted  by 
nature  for  sudden  and  violent  transitions. 

Tony  waited  until  they  were  both  out  of  sight,  and 
then  with  a  final  glance  round  the  hall  he  stepped 
back  into  the  sitting-room.  He  closed  the  door 
after  him  until  only  the  faintest  crack  was  visible 
from    outside,    and    having  placed  his   blackthorn 


204        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

carefully  in  the  comer,  he  stood  there  in  easy  readi- 
ness, his  hand  resting  lightly  on  the  door  knob. 

For  perhaps  thirty  seconds  the  steady  ticking  of  the 
hall  clock  alone  broke  the  silence.  Then  the  sound 
of  a  slight  movement  became  suddenly  audible  out- 
side the  house,  and  a  moment  later  the  sharp  tang, 
tang  of  a  bell  went  jangling  through  the  basement. 
With  a  contented  smile  Tony  began  to  button  up 
his  coat. 

He  heard  Mrs.  Spalding  mount  the  stairs  and  pass 
along  the  hall  passage  outside.  There  was  the  sharp 
snap  of  a  bolt  being  pushed  back,  and  then  almost 
simultaneously  came  a  sudden  scuffle  of  footsteps, 
and  the  loud  bang  of  an  abruptly  closed  door. 

"Pardon,  Madame,"  said  a  voice.  "We  do  not 
wish  to  alarm  you,  but  it  is  necessary  that  we  speak 
with  the  young  lady  upstairs.  " 

For  a  complete  amateur  in  private  theatricals,  Mrs. 
Spalding  played  her  part  admirably. 

"You  will  do  nothing  of  the  kind,"  she  replied 
with  every  symptom  of  surprised  indignation .  ' '  Who 
are  you  ?  How  dare  you  force  your  way  into  a  pri- 
vate house  like  this  ? ' ' 

"You  will  pardon  us,  Madame,"  repeated  the 
voice,  "but  I  fear  w^e  must  insist.  We  mean  no 
harm  to  the  young  lady :  on  the  contrary  we  are  her 
best — her  truest  friends.  " 

Mrs.  Spalding  sniffed  audibly.  "That's  as  it  may 
be,"  she  retorted.  "Anyhow,  you  don't  set  a  foot 
on  my  staircase;  and  what's  more,  if  you  don't  leave 
the  house  immediately  I  shall  send  for  the  police." 


The  Baited  Trap  205 

There  was  a  brief  whispered  consultation  in  what 
sounded  Hke  a  foreign  language,  and  then  the  same 
voice  spoke  again. 

"We  dislike  to  use  force,  Madame;  but  since  you 
leave  us  no  choice " 

Once  more  came  the  quick  shuffle  of  steps,  fol- 
lowed in  this  case  by  the  crash  of  an  overturning  chair, 
and  then  with  a  swift  jerk  Tony  flung  open  the  door, 
and  strode  blithely  out  into  the  hall.  He  took  in  the 
situation  at  a  glance.  True  to  her  instructions  Mrs. 
Spalding  had  retreated  to  the  head  of  the  kitchen 
banisters,  where  one  of  the  intruders  had  followed 
as  though  to  cut  her  off  from  further  interference. 
The  other  was  bounding  gaily  up  the  staircase, 
apparently  under  the  happy  impression  that  the  road 
was  now  clear  before  him. 

Tony  just  had  time  to  see  that  the  man  in  the 
hall  was  the  shorter  of  the  two,  when  with  an  ex- 
clamation of  anger  and  alarm  that  gentleman  spun 
round  to  meet  him.  As  he  turned  his  right  hand 
travelled  swiftly  back  towards  his  hip  pocket,  but 
the  action  though  well  intended  was  too  late  to 
be  effective.  With  one  tiger-like  spring  Tony  had 
crossed  the  intervening  distance,  and  clutching  him 
affectionately  round  the  waist,  had  pinned  his  arms 
to  his  sides. 

"No  shooting,  Harold,"  he  said.  "You  might 
break  the  pictures. ' ' 

As  he  spoke  the  whole  staircase  was  suddenly 
shaken  by  a  crash  upstairs,  followed  by  the  heavy 
thud  of  a  falling  body.     Then,  almost  simultaneously, 


2o6         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

the  head  of  "  Tiger  "  Bugg  protruded  itself  over  the 
banisters. 

"All  right  below,  sir?"  it  inquired  with  some 
anxiety. 

Tony  looked  up.  "If  you  have  quite  finished, 
you  might  come  down  and  take  away  this  revolver,  " 
he  replied  tranquilly. 

That  Bugg  had  finished  was  evident  from  the 
immediate  nature  of  his  response.  He  leaped  down 
the  stairs  with  the  activity  of  a  chamois,  and  darting 
in  behind  Tony's  struggling  captive,  fished  out  a 
wicked  looking  Mauser  pistol  from  that  gentleman's 
hip  pocket. 

'"Ere  we  are,  sir,"  he  announced  cheerfully. 
"Loaded  up  proper  too  from  the  look  of  it.  " 

Tony  released  his  grip,  and  the  owner  of  the 
weapon  staggered  back  against  the  wall  gasping 
like  a  newly  landed  fish. 

"Give  it  to  me, "  said  Tony  holding  out  his  hand, 
and  as  Bugg  complied,  he  added  in  that  pleasantly 
lazy  w^ay  of  his:  "If  you  haven't  corpsed  the  gentle- 
man upstairs,  go  and  bring  him  down  into  the  sitting- 
room.  "  Then,  turning  to  his  own  late  adversary,  he 
observed  hospitably:  "Perhaps  you  wouldn't  mind 
joining  us,  sir.  I  am  sure  we  shall  all  enjoy  a  little 
chat." 

The  stranger,  who  was  gradually  beginning  to 
recover  from  Tony's  bear-like  hug,  scowled  horribly. 
He  was  not  a  prepossessing  looking  person,  for  in 
addition  to  a  cast  in  his  left  eye,  his  swarthy  and 
truculent  face  was  further  disfigured  by  the  scar  of  an 


The  Baited  Trap  207 

old  sword  cut,  which  seemed  to  have  just  failed  in  a 
laudable  effort  to  slice  off  the  greater  part  of  his  jaw. 
All  the  same  there  was  a  certain  air  of  force  and 
authority  about  him,  which  redeemed  him  from 
absolute  ruffianism. 

Beyond  the  scowl,  however,  he  made  no  further 
protest,  but  followed  by  Tony  and  the  Mauser, 
marched  along  into  the  sitting-room,  where  he  folded 
his  arms  and  took  up  a  defiant  posture  on  the  hearth- 
rug. 

There  was  a  sound  of  banging  and  bumping  from 
the  staircase,  and  a  moment  later  Bugg  entered 
through  the  doorway,  half  carrying  and  half  pushing 
the  semi-conscious  figure  of  the  other  invader. 

"I  'it  'im  a  bit  'arder  than  I  meant  to,  sir,"  he 
explained  apologetically  to  Tony;  "but  'e's  comin' 
rahnd  now  nice  an'  pretty.  " 

He  deposited  the  convalescent  carefully  in  the  easy- 
chair,  and  then  stepped  back  as  though  waiting  fur- 
ther instructions. 

It  was  the  cross-eyed  gentleman,  however,  who 
broke  the  silence. 

"In  my  country,"  he  observed  thickly,  "you 
would  die  for  this — both  of  you." 

Tony  smiled  at  him  indulgently.  "I  am  sure  we 
should, "  he  said ;  "but  that's  the  best  of  Hampstead; 
it's  so  devilish  healthy."  He  paused.  "Won't 
you  sit  down  and  make  yourself  comfortable?"  he 
added. 

There  was  something  so  unexpected  either  about 
the  request  or  else  the  manner  of  it,  that  for  a  moment 


2o8         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

the  visitor  seemed  at  a  loss  what  to  do.  At  length, 
however,  he  seated  himself  on  the  edge  of  the  sofa, 
still  glowering  savagely  at  Tony  with  his  working 
eye. 

It  was  at  this  point  that  his  friend  in  the  chair 
began  to  emerge  into  something  like  intelligent 
interest  in  the  proceedings.  After  blinking  vaguely 
and  shaking  his  head  once  or  twice,  he  suddenly 
raised  himself  in  his  seat,  and  looked  round  him 
with  a  slightly  bewildered  air.  His  gaze  finally 
came  to  rest  on  the  barrel  of  the  Mauser  pistol  which 
happened  at  the  moment  to  be  pointing  in  his  direc- 
tion. 

"Feeling  better?"  inquired  Tony  kindly. 

An  obvious  train  of  recollection  flashed  across  the 
stranger's  face,  and  with  an  instinctive  movement  he 
raised  his  hand  to  his  jaw. 

"I  remember  now,"  he  muttered.  "Something 
struck  me.     Something  on  the  stairs.  " 

"That's  right,"  said  Tony  encouragingly.  "It 
was  Bugg's  fist.  Very  few  people  can  take  a  punch 
in  the  jaw  f  rom  Bugg  and  remember  the  exact  details. ' ' 

The  stranger  looked  at  Tony  with  some  curiosity. 
He  had  a  more  refined  and  intelligent  face  than 
his  companion,  while  from  the  few  words  he  had 
spoken  his  foreign  accent  appeared  to  be  less  pro- 
nounced. 

"I  presume,"  he  said,  "that  I  am  addressing  Sir 
Antony  Conway  ? ' ' 

Tony  nodded.  ' '  You  at  least  have  the  advantage 
of  knowing  whom  you're  talking  to.  " 


The  Baited  Trap  209 

There  was  a  moment's  pause,  and  then  the  man  on 
the  sofa  laughed  aggressively. 

"It  is  an  advantage  that  you  possibly  share  with 
us, "  he  growled. 

Tony  turned  on  him.  '  *  Except  for  the  fact  that  you 
appear  to  belong  to  the  criminal  classes, "  he  said, 
' '  I  haven't  the  foggiest  notion  who  either  of  you  are. ' ' 

With  what  sounded  distressingly  like  an  oath  the 
cross-eyed  gentleman  scrambled  to  his  feet,  but  a 
slight  change  in  the  direction  of  the  Mauser  pulled 
him  up  abruptly. 

It  was  his  friend  who  relieved  the  somewhat 
strained  situation. 

"You  forget,  Colonel,"  he  said  suavely.  "If  Sir 
Antony  Conway  is  not  aware  who  we  are,  our  conduct 
must  certainly  appear  to  be  a  trifle  peculiar. "  He 
turned  back  to  Tony.  ' '  If  you  would  grant  us  the 
privilege  of  a  few  moments'  private  conversation  I 
fancy  we  might  come  to  a  better  understanding.  It 
is  possible  that  we  are  rather — how  do  you  say — at 
cross  purposes. " 

"I  shouldn't  wonder,"  replied  Tony  cheerfully. 
"Do  you  mind  going  out  into  the  hall  for  a  minute, 
Bugg?  I  am  sorry  to  leave  you  out  of  it,  but  one 
must  respect  the  wishes  of  one's  guests." 

It  was  the  first  occasion  on  which  Bugg  had  ever 
received  an  order  from  Tony  that  he  had  hesitated 
over  the  immediate  fulfilment. 

"It  ain't  as  I  want  to  'ear  wot  they  says,  sir," 
he  explained  apologetically.  "It's  leavin'  you  alone 
with  the  blighters  I  don't  like.  " 


210        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"I  shan't  be  alone,  '  Tiger,' "  said  Tony.  'T  shall 
have  this  excellent  little  Mauser  pistol  to  keep  me 
company. " 

Bugg  walked  reluctantly  to  the  door.  'T'll  only 
be  just  in  the  'all  if  you  want  me,"  he  observed. 
"You'll  watch  aht  for  any  dirty  work,  won't  ye,  sir?" 

"I  shall,"  said  Tony:  "most  intently." 

He  waited  until  the  door  had  closed,  and  then 
seated  himself  on  the  corner  of  the  table,  with  the 
Mauser  dangling  between  his  knees. 

"Well,  gentlemen?"  he  observed  encouragingly. 

"Sir  Antony  Conway,"  said  the  taller  of  the  two. 
"Will  you  permit  me  to  ask  you  a  perfectly  frank 
question?  Are  you  aware  of  the  identity  of  this 
young  lady,  in  whose  behalf  you  seem  to  have 
interested  yourself?" 

"Of  course  I  am, "  said  Tony. 

"And  may  we  take  it  that  in  coming  as  you 
thought  to  her  assistance  you  acted  from — "  he 
paused — "from  entirely  private  motives?"  He 
waited  for  the  answer  with  an  eagerness  that  was 
plainly  visible. 

Tony  nodded.  "I  never  act  from  anything  else, " 
he  remarked. 

The  tall  man  turned  to  his  companion.  "It  is  as 
I  suggested.  Colonel,"  he  observed,  with  an  air  of 
quiet  triumph. 

The  other  still  glared  suspiciously  at  Tony. 
"Have  a  care,"  he  muttered.  "Who  knows  that 
he  is  speaking  the  truth. " 

The  tall  man  made  a  gesture  of  impatience.     '  *  You 


The  Baited  Trap  211 

do  not  understand  the  English  nobihty,  Colonel." 
He  turned  back  to  Tony.  ' '  Permit  us  to  introduce 
ourselves.  This  is  Colonel  Saltero  of  the  Livadian 
army.  My  name  is  Congosta — Sefior  Eduardo  Con- 
gosta.  It  is  a  name  not  unknown  among  Livadian 
Loyalists. " 

Tony  bowed  bravely  to  the  pair  of  them.  ' '  I  am 
delighted  to  meet  you  both,"  he  said.  "I  can't 
profess  any  great  admiration  for  your  distinguished 
monarch,  but  perhaps  I  don't  know  his  finer  quali- 
ties." 

"Our  distinguished  monarch,"  repeated  the  Col- 
onel darkly.      * '  Of  whom  do  you  speak,  Sir  Antony  ? " 

Tony  raised  his  eyebrows.  "Why — Peter  of 
course,  "  he  said.  "Pedro,  I  should  say.  Have  you 
more  than  one  of  them  ? " 

Colonel  Saltero,  who  was  still  upon  his  feet,  scowled 
more  savagely  than  ever.  "That  miserable  impos- 
tor, "  he  exclaimed.     ' '  I " 

"You  misunderstand  us,  sir,  "  put  in  the  smoother 
voice  of  Sefior  Congosta.  "The  person  you  refer  to 
has  no  legitimate  claim  to  the  throne  of  Livadia. 
Like  all  true  Loyalists  we  are  followers  of  his  late 
Majesty  King  Francisco  the  First.  " 

It  was  a  startling  announcement,  but  Tony's 
natural  composure  stood  him  in  good  stead. 

"Really!"  he  said  slowly.  "How  extremely 
interesting!  I  thought  you  had  all  been  exter- 
minated." 

Seiior  Congosta  smiled.  "You  will  pardon  my 
saying  so.  Sir  Antony,  but  an  accurate  knowledge  of 


212         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Continental  affairs  is  not  one  of  your  great  nation's 
strong  points."  He  paused.  "Our  party  is  more 
powerful  now  than  at  any  time  during  the  last 
fifteen  years. " 

"But  how  about  the  government?"  said  Tony. 
"Surely  they  don't  look  on  you  any  more  affection- 
ately than  on  Pedro  and  his  little  lot?" 

The  government ! ' '  Sefior  Congosta  repeated  the 
words  with  the  utmost  scorn.  "I  will  be  frank  with 
you,  Sir  Antony.  The  Republican  government  is 
doomed.  Too  long  has  that  collection  of  traitors 
battened  on  my  unfortunate  country.  It  needs 
but  one  spark  to  kindle  the  flame,  and — "  With  a 
sweep  of  his  arm  he  indicated  the  painful  and  abrupt 
fate  that  was  awaiting  the  President  of  Livadia  and 
his  advisers. 

' '  I  see, ' '  said  Tony  slowly.  ' '  Then  your  some- 
what original  method  of  calling  is  connected  with 
State  affairs?" 

Seiior  Congosta  spread  out  his  hands.  "There  is 
no  point  in  further  concealment,  "  he  observed.  "I 
think  you  will  agree  with  me.  Colonel  Saltero,  that 
we  had  better  tell  this  gentleman  the  entire  truth.  " 

That  Colonel  grunted  doubtfully,  as  though  telling 
the  entire  truth  were  not  a  habit  that  he  was  accus- 
tomed to  approve  of,  but  the  reply,  such  as  it  was, 
seemed  good  enough  for  his  companion. 

"For  some  time  past,  "  he  said,  "the  Loyalists  of 
Livadia  have  only  been  waiting  their  opportunity. 
The  Republic  is  rotten — rotten  to  the  core.  It  must 
soon  fall  like  a  bad  fruit,  and  then — ' '  he  paused — 


The  Baited  Trap  213 

"then  will  come  the  chance  for  which  we  are  ready.  '* 

"And  for  which,"  added  Tony,  "the  Marquis  da 
Freitas  is  also  eminently  ready.  " 

Congosta's  eyes  gleamed.  "So!"  he  said  softly. 
"You  know  him?" 

"Not  intimately,"  said  Tony:  "just  well  enough 
to  know  that  he  is  likely  to  be  around  when  the  prizes 
are  given  out. " 

Congosta  nodded  his  head.  A  malevolent  expres- 
sion had  crept  into  his  face  that  made  him  look 
almost  as  sinister  as  the  Colonel. 

"It  is  with  Da  Freitas,  "  he  said  slowly,  "that  we 
have  to  settle.  With  Da  Freitas  and  one  other. 
Until  a  month  ago  everything  had  been  arranged  for. 
We  knew  that  here  in  England  the  usurper  was 
plotting  and  planning  for  his  restoration.  We  knew 
that  he  had  many  friends  in  the  army  and  navy — 
that  any  moment  the  revolution  might  break  out. 
But  we  were  prepared.  The  very  moment  trouble 
came  we  intended  to  strike — and  strike  hard. " 

He  stopped. 

"What  were  you  going  to  do?"  asked  Tony  with 
interest. 

"We  should  have  seized  the  Palace  before  Da 
Freitas'  hirelings  and  traitors  were  ready,  and 
proclaimed  Francisco's  daughter  as  the  rightful  heir 
to  the  throne.  " 

There  was  another  pause. 

"It  was  a  good  idea,"  said  Tony;  "but  I  gather 
there  has  been  a  slight  hitch  somewhere.  " 

"We   were   betrayed,"    said    Congosta   sullenly. 


214         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"We  made  the  mistake  of  trusting  to  a  coward  and  a 
fool.  It  is  the  price  that  one  always  pays  for  such 
mistakes. " 

"Who  was  the  gentleman?"  asked  Tony  inno- 
cently. 

"It  was  the  King's  brother-in-law — the  Count  de 
Se.  He  was  left  guardian  to  the  Princess  Isabella 
under  his  late  Majesty's  will.  All  along  he  has 
pretended  to  work  with  us ;  and  then,  a  month  ago, 
he  came  secretly  to  England  and  betrayed  the  whole 
of  our  purpose  to  Da  Freitas.  " 

There  was  a  sulphurous  snort  from  Colonel  Sal- 
tero,  as  though  the  mere  mention  of  the  incident  were 
altogether  too  much  for  his  feelings. 

"We  should  be  thankful,"  went  on  Congosta 
bitterly,  "that  the  Princess  is  still  alive.  Da  Frei- 
tas is  not  particular  when  his  own  interests  are  at 
stake.  Had  it  suited  him — "  he  made  an  expressive 
gesture  with  his  hands.  "As  it  is  he  seems  to  have 
thought  the  Count's  plan  equally  effective — and 
perhaps  healthier  for  himself.  Why  should  not 
Pedro  marry  the  Princess?  Then  when  the  revolu- 
tion came  there  would  only  be  one  claimant  to  the 
throne  of  Livadia,  and  all  our  plans  would  be  flung 
to  the  ground. " 

"It  seems  to  me,  "  said  Tony  thoughtfully,  "that 
the  Count  de  Se  is  what  we  call  a  dirty  dog  in 
this  country.  All  the  same  I  don't  quite  see  what 
he  was  driving  at.  Surely  it  would  have  suited 
his  book  better  for  Isabella  to  be  queen  in  her  own 
right." 


The  Baited  Trap  215 

"He  was  afraid,  "  said  Congosta  scornfully.  "He 
is  a  coward,  and  he  was  afraid  there  would  be  fight- 
ing, and  perhaps  failure.  He  has  no  heart  for  such 
things.  It  seemed  to  him  better  to  live  under  the 
shelter  of  Da  Freitas.  " 

"He  will  not  live  long,"  growled  the  Colonel 
ominously. 

"As  soon  as  we  learned  what  had  happened," 
continued  Congosta,  "we  had  a  council  at  Portriga, 
and  it  was  decided  that  the  Colonel  and  I  should 
come  to  England.  We  have  friends  and  agents  here 
and  it  was  not  difficult  to  find  out  where  the  Count 
was  living.  I  took  a  room  at  Richmond,  and  for  a 
week  I  watched  and  waited  in  the  hope  of  speaking 
with  the  Princess.  I  was  convinced  that  she  knew 
nothing  of  what  was  happening  in  Livadia — that  she 
probably  believed  her  father's  friends  were  dead  or 
powerless.  The  first  day  I  discovered  she  was  there, 
but  as  for  speaking  with  her—"  he  shrugged  his 
shoulders — ' '  there  was  an  old  hag  of  a  French  woman 
who  never  left  her — who  watched  her  like  a  cat. 
Then  at  last  came  the  evening  when  she  left  the 
house — alone.  At  first  I  was  on  my  guard ;  I  feared 
that  Da  Freitas  might  have  learned  I  was  in  Rich- 
mond ;  that  he  was  using  this  means  to  draw  me  into 
a  trap.  It  was  only  when  she  got  to  the  station  and 
hid  in  the  waiting-room  that  I  began  to  suspect  she 
was  running  away.  I  did  not  speak  with  her  then ;  I 
did  not  wish  to  alarm  her.  I  knew  she  was  going 
to  Waterloo,  because  I  had  listened  when  she  asked 
for  her  ticket.     So  while  I  waited  I  sent  off  a  tele- 


2i6         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

gram  to  Saltero  to  meet  me  there,  and  I  too  came  up 
to  London  in  the  same  train.  " 

He  paused  again,  half  out  of  breath  from  the 
rapidity  with  which  he  had  been  speaking. 

' '  I  think  I  have  a  good  working  idea  of  the  rest  of 
the  story,"  said  Tony.  He  slipped  off  the  table 
and  stood  up  facing  his  two  prisoners.  "I  owe  you 
an  apology, "  he  added,  "both  of  you.  I  am  afraid 
that  in  our  anxiety  to  assist  the  Princess,  Bugg  and 
I  have  been  rather  unnecessarily  strenuous.  " 

Congosta  rose  to  his  feet  and  bowed  gravely. 
"Sir  Antony  Conway,  "  he  said.  "You  behaved  as  I 
should  expect  an  English  nobleman  to  behave  under 
the  circumstances.  Neither  Colonel  Saltero  nor 
myself  bear  you  any  ill  will  for  the  slight  incon- 
venience we  have  suffered. " 

The  Colonel,  who  seemed  to  be  a  man  of  less 
expansive  habit,  grunted  again,  but  Tony  did  not 
allow  this  apparent  lack  of  enthusiasm  to  damp  the 
graciousness  of  Congosta's  speech. 

"Gentlemen,"  he  said,  "you  have  been  frank 
with  me,  and  I  will  be  equally  frank  with  you. 
When  I  came  to  the  assistance  of  Princess  Isabella, 
I  had  not  the  remotest  notion  who  she  was.  I  acted 
on  the  impulse  of  the  moment,  as  I  suppose  any  one 
else  would  have  acted.  Out  of  gratitude  for  this 
very  slight  service,  the  Princess  was  good  enough  to 
take  me  into  her  confidence.  When  I  found  that 
she  was  being  forced  into  a  marriage  for  which  she 
had  the  strongest  possible  dislike,  I  naturally  deter- 
mined to  put  a  stop  to  it.      I  have  my  own  reasons 


The  Baited  Trap  217 

for  not  regarding  Pedro  as  a  suitable  husband  for  her, 
apart  altogether  from  the  fact  that  she  hates  the 
sight  of  him.  If  it  will  relieve  your  minds  in  any  way 
I  can  assure  you  that  she  will  be  quite  safe  from  him 
as  long  as  she  will  do  me  the  honour  of  accepting  my 
assistance. " 

It  was  the  Colonel's  turn  to  answer.  "That  is 
well,"  he  said.  "We  are  obliged  to  you  for  what 
you  have  done,  but  the  affair  cannot  remain  so. 
We  must  speak  with  the  Princess.  She  must  be 
informed  of  the  high  destiny  that  awaits  her.  " 

"That  is  a  point,  "  said  Tony  politely,  "on  which  I 
am  not  quite  in  agreement  with  you,  Colonel.  The 
Princess  has  placed  herself  under  my  guardianship 
and  I  should  be  neglecting  my  duty  if  I  encouraged 
her  to  mix  herself  up  with  an  attempted  revolution. 
I  consider  it  a  very  unhealthy  profession  for  a  girl  of 
her  age. " 

The  Colonel  glared  at  him.  ' '  Sir ! "  he  stammered. 
"Do  you  dare  to  thrust  yourself  in  between  the 
throne  of  Livadia  and  its  Divinely  appointed  occu- 
pant?" 

"Oh,  no,"  said  Tony  cheerfully;  "I  don't  go  as  far 
as  that.  When  you  have  managed  to  make  the 
throne  vacant,  I  shall  be  very  pleased  to  advise  the 
Princess  to  step  into  it.  Until  then  she  is  much 
happier  and  safer  in  Hampstead.  " 

' '  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  Sir  Antony  Conway 
may  be  right,  Colonel, "  broke  in  the  voice  of  Seiior 
Congosta.  "The  Princess's  welfare  must  be  our 
first    consideration.     To    take    her    to    Livadia    at 


2i8         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

present  is  out  of  the  question,  and  I  don't  know  any 
place  where  she  would  be  safer  from  Da  Freitas  than 
in  this  house.  We  have  had  personal  proof  of  the 
excellence  of  Sir  Antony's  arrangements.  As  for 
her  being  identified  in  any  way  with  our  plans — "he 
paused — "well,  the  Republican  government  has  been 
recognized  by  England,  and  it  would  be  madness 
on  our  part  to  give  them  any  avoidable  cause  for 
complaint. " 

There  was  still  a  doubtful  frown  upon  the  Colonel's 
brow. 

"I  do  not  approve  of  the  situation,  "  he  said  stiffly. 
"It  is  not  fitting  that  the  future  Queen  of  Livadia 
should  be  living  in  this  house — unchaperoned  and 
unprotected. " 

With  a  solemn  face  Tony  drew  himself  up  to  his  full 
height. 

' '  Sir ! "  he  said.  ' '  You  forget  that  you  are  address- 
ing a  member  of  the  English  nobility. " 

The  magnificence  of  the  retort  seemed  to  have  a 
temporarily  paralysing  effect  upon  the  Colonel,  and 
before  he  could  recover  Sefior  Congosta,  who  was 
evidently  the  directing  brain  of  the  two,  had  taken 
the  matter  into  his  own  hands. 

"It  is  well  spoken,  "  he  said  with  another  low  bow. 
"Sir  Antony  Conway — on  behalf  of  my  country, 
permit  me  to  express  the  confidence  and  gratitude 
with  which  we  accept  your  assistance.  " 


CHAPTER   XII 

MOLLY  BECOMES   AN   ALLY 

Guy  sat  in  his  chair,  and  for  a  moment  surveyed 
the  admirably  kept  garden  of  Goodman's  Rest  with  a 
thoughtful  frown.  Then  his  gaze  travelled  back  to 
Tony  and  Isabel. 

"We  are  in  an  extraordinary  situation,"  he  ob- 
served slowly. 

It  was  just  at  half-past  ten  in  the  morning,  and 
they  were  all  of  them  sitting  on  the  lawn  at  the  back 
of  the  house,  in  a  pleasant  blaze  of  spring  sunshine 
which  streamed  down  out  of  a  cloudless  blue  sky. 
Tony,  who  was  smoking  a  cigar,  had  just  finished 
giving  his  cousin  a  full  and  spirited  description  of 
his  interview  with  Congosta  and  Saltero,  for  by  the 
time  he  had  returned  to  the  house  on  the  previous 
evening,  Guy,  who  had  been  suffering  from  a  slight 
headache,  had  already  gone  to  bed. 

"I  don't  see  anything  so  very  extraordinary  about 
it,"  said  Tony  placidly.  "Everybody  seems  to  me 
to  be  behaving  in  a  most  natural  and  reasonable 
manner.  In  fact  I  am  just  a  bit  disappointed.  I 
always  thought  that  people  who  went  in  for  revolu- 

219 


220         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

tions  and  that  kind  of  thing  were  much  more  myste- 
rious and  exciting. " 

"Well,  I  don't  know  what  you  want!"  retorted 
Guy.  "You  appear  to  have  got  both  the  Royalists 
and  the  Franciscans  on  your  track,  and  as  far  as 
sticking  at  trifles  goes,  I  shouldn't  imagine  there 
was  much  to  choose  between  any  of  the  parties  in 
Livadia. " 

"You  must  remember  that  you  are  speaking  of 
Isabel's  native  land,"  protested  Tony  reprovingly. 

"Oh,  he  can  say  what  he  likes  about  Livadia," 
said  Isabel.     "It's  all  true.  " 

"And  anyhow,  "  went  on  Guy,  "if  we  mean  to  get 
out  of  this  business  safely  and  successfully  we  must 
look  at  things  exactly  as  they  are  and  not  as  they 
ought  to  be.  As  far  as  I  can  see  the  whole  affair 
is  more  like  a  cheap  melodrama  than  anything  else, 
but  that  doesn't  mean  there  isn't  a  very  real  danger 
for  people  who  choose  to  mix  themselves  up  in  it." 
He  paused.  "What  was  your  final  understanding 
with  these — these  people?" 

"Oh,  we  parted  the  best  of  friends,"  said  Tony 
cheerfully.  "At  least  Congosta  and  I  did.  The 
Colonel  was  a  little  bit  stuffy  at  not  being  allowed  to 
see  Isabel,  but  I  put  that  down  to  his  military  train- 
ing. A  good  soldier  never  likes  to  be  baulked  in  his 
object. " 

"Yes,  yes;  but  what  are  they  going  to  do?"  per- 
sisted Guy.  "  You  must  have  come  to  some  sort  of 
an  arrangement. " 

"We  came  to  a  very  good  arrangement,"  said 


Molly  Becomes  an  Ally  221 

Tony.  "I  am  to  continue  looking  after  Isabel  and 
keeping  her  away  from  the  fascinations  of  Peter, 
while  they  go  on  with  the  job  of  getting  the  throne 
ready  for  her.  The  Colonel  is  on  his  way  back  to 
Livadia  already. " 

"And  what  about  the  other  man — Congosta?" 
Congosta  is  staying  on  in  England  for  the  present. 
I  have  got  his  address  at  Richmond.  He  says  it's 
necessary  that  someone  should  be  here  in  order  to 
keep  an  eye  on  Peter  and  Da  Freitas.  I  don't  sup- 
pose he  altogether  trusts  me  either. " 

"I  daresay  he  doesn't,"  observed  Guy  drily. 
"He  probably  agreed  to  the  arrangement  because 
he  hadn't  any  immediate  choice  in  the  matter.  I 
shouldn't  imagine  that  we  could  depend  on  him  in 
the  least. " 

"I  don't  know,  "  said  Tony.  "He  seems  to  have 
a  great  faith  in  the  virtue  and  nobility  of  the  English 
aristocracy.  I  think  he  must  be  a  reader  of  Charles 
Garvice. " 

' '  Have  you  made  any  plans  yourself  ? ' '  asked 
Guy. 

Tony  took  a  thoughtful  pull  at  his  cigar.  "Well, 
I  have  got  one  or  two  ideas  that  I  was  talking  over 
with  Isabel  last  night.  In  the  first  place  I  think  I 
shall  tell  Aunt  Fanny  all  about  it.  It's  just  the  sort 
of  thing  that  would  appeal  to  her  thoroughly;  and 
then  she  would  be  an  excellent  chaperone  if  we 
happened  to  want  one.  " 

Guy  pondered  over  the  suggestion  for  a  moment. 
"I  think  you  are  right,"   he  admitted  half  reluc- 


222         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

tantly.  "We  certainly  ought  to  have  someone  for — 
for  Isabel's  sake,"  (it  was  the  first  time  he  had 
dropped  the  more  formal  Miss  Francis)  "and  I 
suppose  Aunt  Fanny  is  the  only  possible  person. 
All  the  same  the  fewer  people  who  know  anything 
about  it  the  better." 

"I  don't  propose  to  tell  any  one  else,  "  said  Tony, 
"except  Molly.  Oh,  it's  all  right,"  he  added,  as 
Guy  directed  an  embarrassed  glance  towards  their 
companion ;  "  I  told  Isabel  all  about  Molly  last  night. 
She  has  survived  the  shock  splendidly.  " 

"I  am  not  a  child,  Cousin  Guy, "  said  Isabel  with 
dignity. 

"But  is  it  necessary  to  bring  this — this  young 
woman  in?"  objected  Guy. 

"Of  course  it  is,"  said  Tony,  "and  I  wish  you 
wouldn't  refer  to  her  in  that  dreadful  way.  It 
sounds  as  if  she  wore  black  cotton  gloves.  Molly's 
our  Chief  Intelligence  Department.  It's  only 
through  her  that  we  can  get  any  idea  of  what's 
going  on  at  Richmond,  and  apart  from  that  she  is 
the  best  friend  we  could  possibly  have.  She  regards 
Peter  as  her  private  property — a  poor  thing,  but  her 
own — and  she  doesn't  mean  to  lose  him  without  a 
good  scrap.  She's  got  grit  and  nerve,  Molly  has; 
otherwise  she  wouldn't  be  playing  lead  at  the 
Gaiety." 

"Very  well,"  said  Guy  resignedly.  "I  suppose 
that  if  one  goes  in  for  this  sort  of  thing  one  must  get 
help  where  one  can.  When  do  you  propose  to  see 
her?" 


Molly  Becomes  an  Ally  223 

"Now,"  said  Tony;  "if  she's  out  of  bed.  I  am 
going  to  motor  down  there  right  away.  "  He  got  up 
from  his  chair.  "You  will  be  careful  while  I  am 
away,  won't  you,  Isabel?"  he  added.  "Bugg  is  on 
duty  all  right,  but  I  think  it  would  be  safer  for  you 
to  stop  in  the  garden  unless  you  want  to  go  back  to 
the  house.  One  doesn't  know  what  Da  Freitas  may 
be  up  to. " 

' '  Isabel  will  be  quite  safe, ' '  said  Guy  with  some 
spirit.  "I  will  remain  with  her  myself  if  she  will 
allow  me  to. " 

"That  will  be  very  nice,  "  said  Isabel  graciously. 

Tony  tossed  away  the  stump  of  his  cigar.  "I 
believe  that  Guy  will  end  by  being  the  most  reckless 
adventurer  of  the  lot  of  us,  "  he  said  gravely.  "It's 
generally  the  way  when  people  take  up  a  fresh  hobby 
late  in  life. " 

Isabel  gave  one  of  her  little  rippling  laughs,  and 
before  Guy  could  think  of  an  adequate  retort,  Tony 
had  sauntered  off  up  the  path  in  the  direction  of  the 
garage. 

Amongst  the  hobbies  of  Miss  Molly  Monk  that  of 
early  rising — as  Tony  knew — occupied  a  compara- 
tively modest  place,  and  he  was  accordingly  not 
surprised  on  reaching  her  flat  to  learn  from  Claudine, 
the  French  maid,  that  her  mistress  was  still  in  bed. 

"Is  she  awake?"  he  inquired. 

"Mais  out,  M'sieur,"  replied  Claudine.  "She 
'ave  'er  morning  chocolate.  I  just  take  it  in  to 
er. 

"Well,  will  you  go  and  give  her  my  love,"  said 


224         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Tony,  "and  tell  her  I  should  like  to  see  her  as  soon 
as  it  could  be  happily  managed. " 

Claudine  conducted  Tony  to  the  little  drawing- 
room,  and  then  tripped  demurely  away  down  the 
passage  to  deliver  her  message.  She  was  not  ab- 
sent for  long,  as  thirty  seconds  could  hardly  have 
elapsed  before  she  re-entered  the  apartment. 

"If  M'sieur  will  follow  me,"  she  announced. 
"Madem'selle  will  receive  him." 

She  led  the  way  to  Molly's  bedroom,  and  pushing 
open  the  door  which  was  already  ajar,  ushered  Tony 
into  a  charming  atmosphere  of  cream  walls,  apple 
green  hangings,  and  a  huge  brass  bedstead. 

In  the  bedstead  was  Molly.  She  was  sitting  up 
against  a  little  mountain  of  white  pillows,  with  a 
Japanese  kimona  thrown  lightly  round  her  gossamer 
nightdress,  and  her  red  hair  streaming  loose  over  her 
shoulders.  She  was  sipping  chocolate,  and  looked 
very  cool  and  attractive. 

"Hello,  Tony,"  she  said.  "I  hope  you  don't 
mind  being  received  in  this  shameless  fashion.  It's 
your  own  fault  you  know  for  coming  so  early.  " 

She  extended  a  slim  white  hand  and  wrist,  and 
Tony  having  implanted  a  kiss  on  the  latter,  seated 
himself  comfortably  on  the  end  of  the  bed. 

"I  am  not  seriously  annoyed,  Molly,  "  he  replied. 
"I  find  that  my  naturally  Calvinistic  principles  are 
becoming  broader  as  I  get  older. "  He  looked  at 
her  with  an  approving  glance.  "Besides,  "  he  went 
on,  "at  one  time  it  was  all  the  fashion  to  receive  dis- 
tinguished visitors  in  bed.     Madame  du  Barry — a 


Molly  Becomes  an  Ally  225 

very  highly  connected  French  lady — made  a  hobby 
of  it." 

"Did  she — the  saucy  puss!"  said  Molly.  She 
pushed  across  a  tortoise  shell  cigarette  case  that  was 
lying  on  the  silk  coverlet  in  front  of  her.  ' '  You  can 
light  up  if  you  like,"  she  added.  "I  am  going  to 
have  one  myself  in  a  minute. " 

Tony  took  advantage  of  her  permission,  and 
leaning  back  against  the  brass  rail  blew  out  a  little 
spiral  of  grey  smoke. 

"I  came  at  this  indelicate  hour,"  he  observed, 
"because  I  promised  I  would  look  round  directly  I 
had  anything  to  tell  you.  " 

Molly  sat  up  in  bed.  ' '  Oh, ' '  she  exclaimed  eagerly, 
"have  you  heard  from  that  friend  of  yours — the  one 
in  Portriga?" 

Tony  shook  his  head.  "Not  yet;  there  hasn't 
been  time."  He  paused.  "I  don't  know  that  it's 
altogether  necessary  to  go  to  Portriga  for  news 
though.  One  seems  to  be  able  to  pick  up  a  certain 
amount  of  Livadian  gossip  in  London.  " 

Molly  put  down  her  cup  of  chocolate  on  the  tray 
beside  her.  "Tony,"  she  said,  "what  have  you 
heard  ? ' ' 

"It's  a  long  and  poignant  story,"  said  Tony. 
"Are  you  in  any  hurry  to  get  up?" 

'  *  Do  I  look  like  it  ? "  She  reached  across  the  bed 
for  the  cigarette  case.  "Wait  a  moment  till  I've 
got  a  light;  then  I  shan't  interrupt  you.  " 

She  struck  a  match,  and  drawing  in  a  mouthful  of 
smoke,  leaned  back  against  the  pillows. 

IS 


226         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"That's  better,  "  she  observed  contentedly.  "Now 
fire  ahead. " 

The  art  of  telHng  a  long  story  well  is  a  regrettably 
rare  one,  especially  amongst  people  who  are  chiefly 
addicted  to  the  habit.  Tony,  however,  undoubtedly 
possessed  it  to  a  certain  extent,  and  in  the  present 
case  he  enjoyed  the  additional  advantage  of  having 
already  practised  upon  Guy.  Starting  from  his 
meeting  with  Isabel  in  Long  Acre,  he  recounted  in 
that  pleasantly  unhurried  fashion  of  his  the  whole  of 
the  spirited  events  which  had  led  up  to  his  present 
visit.  He  concealed  nothing — not  even  his  deception 
of  Isabel  in  connection  with  the  pawning  of  her 
brooch,  for  if  Molly  was  to  be  accepted  as  an  active 
ally,  it  was  obviously  necessary  that  there  should  be 
no  half  measures  about  the  matter.  Besides,  Tony, 
who  preferred  his  own  judgment  to  any  one  else's, 
considered  Molly  to  be  one  of  the  most  trustworthy 
people  he  had  ever  met. 

She  was  at  all  events  an  irreproachable  listener. 
Lying  back  against  the  pillows,  her  hands  clasped 
behind  her  head,  she  followed  his  narrative  with 
an  absorbed  interest  that  showed  itself  plainly 
in  her  eyes.  She  made  no  attempt  to  interrupt 
him  or  to  ask  questions — indeed  with  the  excep- 
tion of  occasionally  knocking  off  the  ash  of 
her  cigarette  into  the  breakfast  tray,  she  re- 
mained as  motionless  and  silent  as  a  Kirchner 
picture. 

"And  that,"  observed  Tony  in  conclusion,  "is  as 
far  as  we've  got  to  at  present.     At  least  it's  all  I 


Molly  Becomes  an  Ally  227 

know  for  certain.  Of  course  I  may  get  back  to  find 
that  Guy  and  Isabel  have  been  murdered  in  the 
garden.  "  He  rose  from  the  bed,  and  crossing  to  the 
fireplace  tossed  away  the  stump  of  his  cigarette, 
which  he  had  allowed  to  go  out.  "Well,  what  do 
you  say,  Molly?"  he  added  cheerfully.  "Are  you 
prepared  to  come  in  with  us,  and  do  your  bit  in 
saving  Peter  from  bigamy?" 

Molly  sat  up  in  bed,  her  blue  eyes  gleaming  with  a 
brisk  and  businesslike  determination. 

"I  should  think  I  was,"  she  observed  crisply. 
"If  any  one  imagines  I've  taken  all  the  trouble  of 
training  and  educating  Peter  for  nothing,  they're 
making  a  fat  mistake."  She  shook  back  her  hair 
with  a  resolute  gesture  that  spoke  volumes  for  her 
sincerity.  "Tony,"  she  said,  "you're  a  brick.  I 
really  don't  know  how  to  thank  you. " 

"There's  nothing  to  thank  me  for,"  said  Tony. 
"I  have  taken  up  the  case  in  the  interests  of  Euro- 
pean morals.  I  don't  approve  of  a  young  man 
marrying,  when  he  already  has  a  wife  in  the  sight 
of  Heaven." 

"Not  only  in  the  sight  of  Heaven,"  returned 
Molly  with  spirit.  ' '  In  the  sight  of  the  Registrar  of 
Chelmsford  as  well. " 

There  was  a  brief  pause.  "Good  Lord!"  said 
Tony  slowly.     ' '  Is  that  a  fact  ? ' ' 

Molly  half  jumped  up  in  bed,  and  then  sitting 
down  again,  pulled  up  the  counterpane. 

"I  can't  get  out,"  she  said,  "this  nightdress  isn't 
respectable.     Just  go  to  the  dressing-table,  Tony — 


228         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

there's  a  dear — and  open  that  top  drawer  on  the  right. 
You'll  find  a  jewel-case  inside — a  brown  one. " 

Tony  did  as  he  was  commanded,  and  took  out  a 
small  Russia  leather  box,  with  Molly's  initials  in 
gold  stamped  upon  the  lid. 

"Here  you  are,"  she  said,  holding  out  her  hand. 
' '  Now  give  me  that  little  bunch  of  keys  by  the  brush. " 

She  opened  the  box,  and  rummaging  inside  ex- 
tracted a  slip  of  paper,  which  she  unfolded  and 
glanced  through  before  handing  it  to  Tony. 

"How  about  that?"  she  inquired  with  a  sort  of 
dispassionate  triumph. 

Tony  took  the  document,  and  sitting  down  again 
on  the  foot  of  the  bed,  spread  it  out  in  front  of  him. 
It  was  the  ordinary  registrar's  form  of  marriage 
certificate,  dated  at  Chelmsford  six  months  previ- 
ously, and  it  set  out  in  the  restrained  but  convincing 
style  adopted  by  such  authors,  that  on  the  date  in 
question  Mary  Monk,  daughter  of  John  Monk, 
game-keeper,  and  Pedro  da  Talles,  son  of  Pedro  da 
Talles,  gentleman,  had  seen  fit  to  enter  into  the 
bonds  of  Holy  Matrimony. 

Tony  read  it  through  with  an  interest  that  he 
seldom  devoted  to  current  literature,  and  then 
looked  up  with  an  expression  of  deep  admiration. 

"You're  a  wonderful  person,  Molly,  "  he  said. 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders.  "Oh,  I'm  not  under 
any  mistaken  ideas  about  its  value,"  she  replied 
coolly.  * '  I  know  it  wouldn't  cut  any  ice  in  Livadia — 
and  I  expect  it's  about  equally  useless  here.  You  see 
in  the  first  place  Pedro  isn't  allowed  to  marry  any  one 


Molly  Becomes  an  Ally  229 

except  a  Royalty,  and  then  of  course  this  paper's  all 
out  of  order.  You  see  we  had  to  keep  it  dark  who 
Peter  really  was,  or  of  course  the  news  would  have 
been  all  over  the  shop.  Fortunately  no  ordinary 
person  in  England  knows  his  family  name,  so  there 
wasn't  much  chance  of  anybody  spotting  the  entry. 
The  only  thing  was  we  couldn't  describe  his  father 
as  a  king — that  would  have  busted  the  show  hope- 
lessly— so  we  had  to  put  him  down  as  a  gentleman. 
I  expect  that's  enough  to  make  it  illegal  by  itself. " 

" I  should  think  so,  "  said  Tony.  "It's  certainly 
a  very  misleading  description,  judging  by  popular 
rumour."  He  paused.  "What  made  you  do  it, 
Molly,  and  how  did  you  manage  to  bring  it  off  ? " 

"Oh,  it  was  easy  enough,"  replied  Molly  a  little 
contemptuously.  "I  believe  I  could  make  Peter  do 
almost  anything.  He's  frightfully  fond  of  me  in  his 
way.  "  She  leaned  forward  and  picked  up  the  paper. 
"I  don't  really  know  why  I  bothered  about  it, "  she 
added  thoughtfully.  "I  think  it  was  partly  just  to 
show  myself  I  could,  and  partly — "  she  stopped  and 
laughed — "well,  Granddad  used  to  be  a  churchwarden 
at  Helbeck,  you  know,  and  right  underneath  every- 
thing I  think  I've  got  some  secret  strain  of  lower 
middle-class  respectability. " 

"I  am  glad  it  hasn't  hampered  your  taste  in 
nightdresses , "  said  Tony .  ' '  That  would  have  been  a 
tragedy. "  He  helped  himself  to  another  cigarette. 
"Well,  you're  going  to  come  in  with  us  and  battle 
for  your  rights,  then? "  he  added. 

"Every   time,"   observed    Molly    with    decision. 


230        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"I  know  where  I  am  now,  and  that  will  make  all  the 
difEerence.  Up  till  to-day  I  have  sort  of  been  fight- 
ing in  the  dark. " 

"Have  you  seen  Peter  again?"  inquired  Tony, 

Molly  nodded.  "He  was  here  yesterday.  He 
wouldn't  tell  me  anything,  but  I  could  see  he  was 
nearly  worried  out  of  his  life.  I  don't  believe  it's 
entirely  about  this  girl — I  am  sure  from  the  way  he 
spoke  that  things  are  coming  to  a  head  out  in 
Livadia." 

"I  expect  they  are, "  said  Tony.  "You  can't  work 
up  a  revolution  and  then  postpone  it  like  a  mothers' 
meeting.  Isabel's  disappearance  must  have  made 
Da  Freitas  as  mad  as  a  wet  hen.  It's  come  just  at 
the  wrong  moment. " 

"Is  this  girl  really  so  like  me?"  asked  Molly. 

' '  Wonderfully, ' '  said  Tony ;  ' '  considering  how 
rare  beauty  is.  She  has  got  brown  eyes  instead  of 
blue,  but  any  one  who  was  short-sighted  or  a  little 
intoxicated  might  easily  mistake  her  for  you.  Prob- 
ably that's  why  Peter  wanted  to  kiss  her  that  night 
after  dinner." 

Molly  looked  a  little  sceptical.  "Peter  will  kiss 
anybody,"  she  said,  "especially  when  he's  had  a 
drink  or  two."  She  paused.  "Still,  I  don't  think 
I  like  her  being  quite  so  like  me,"  she  added  thought- 
fully. 

' '  It  can't  be  helped, ' '  said  Tony.  ' '  I  expect  Heaven 
had  some  of  the  material  left  over,  and  didn't  want 
to  waste  it." 

**0h,  I'm  not  worrying  really,"  replied  Molly. 


Molly  Becomes  an  Ally  231 

"I've  become  a  sort  of  habit  to  Peter.  He  would  be 
absolutely  lost  without  me  now.  He  said  as  much 
himself  yesterday,  and  he's  not  given  to  making  pretty 
speeches.  You  see  I'm  the  only  girl  he  has  ever  known 
who  was  really  fond  of  him  for  his  own  sake.  All  the 
rest  have  been  absolute  rotters.  " 

"He  doesn't  deserve  his  luck,"  said  Tony  severely. 
"It's  incredible  that  any  one  could  be  so  stupid  as  to 
prefer  sitting  on  a  throne  in  Livadia  to  stopping  in 
London  and  making  love  to  you.  " 

"Oh,  it's  not  his  fault,"  protested  Molly.  "It's 
all  that  old  pig  Da  Freitas.  Peter  knows  perfectly 
well  he  is  not  fit  to  be  a  king.  I  have  told  him  so 
again  and  again,  and  in  his  heart  he  absolutely  agrees 
with  me.  He  always  makes  a  mess  of  things  if  I'm 
not  there  to  look  after  him. " 

Tony  got  up  from  the  bed.  ' '  It's  really  a  work  of 
pure  benevolence  that  we're  engaged  on,"  he  ob- 
served. "We  might  almost  christen  ourselves  the 
Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Peter,  and 
appeal  for  a  public  subscription.  "  He  picked  up  his 
hat  off  the  chair.  "Well  anyhow,  Molly,  "  he  added, 
"from  to-day  we  shall  consider  you  one  of  us,  and 
keep  you  posted  up  in  everything  that  goes  on.  " 

"Right-oh, "  repHed  Molly  cheerfully,  "and  the 
same  here.  I  am  quite  sure  that  if  Peter  is  going  to 
do  anything  very  desperate  he'll  let  me  know  about 
it  in  spite  of  Da  Freitas.  Anyhow,  it  won't  be  my 
fault  if  he  doesn't.  " 

' '  I  don't  suppose  it  will,  "  said  Tony. 

He  bent  down  and  implanted  a  kiss  just  under  her 


232         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

chin,  which  Molly  considerately  elevated  for  the 
purpose,  and  then,  after  having  bestowed  half  a 
sovereign  upon  Claudine  who  glided  out  into  the  hall 
to  open  the  front  door  for  him,  he  clambered  back 
into  his  car  and  set  off  on  the  return  journey. 

Having  arrived  home  he  drove  up  to  the  garage, 
and  leaving  the  car  in  the  care  of  Jennings,  walked 
down  the  path  on  to  the  lawn  where  he  had  left  Guy 
and  Isabel.  The  chairs  they  had  been  sitting  on  were 
still  there,  but  there  was  no  sign  of  their  late  occu- 
pants. Thinking  that  perhaps  another  botany  lesson 
was  in  progress,  Tony  strolled  on  round  the  garden, 
but  except  for  a  white  whiskered  gentleman  who  was 
doing  something  mysterious  with  a  spade,  the  place 
seemed  to  be  deserted.  He  returned  to  the  house, 
and  entering  the  morning-room  by  the  open  French 
window  rang  the  bell  for  Spalding. 

"They  have  gone  across  to  number  sixteen,  Sir 
Antony,  "  replied  the  latter  in  answer  to  his  inquiry. 
"Miss  Francis  wished  to  return  before  lunch,  and 
Mr.  Guy  told  me  to  inform  you  that  he  and  Bugg  had 
walked  across  with  her.  They  will  be  back  by  one 
o'clock." 

There  was  a  pause. 

"I  suppose  you  heard  about  our  little  entertain- 
ment there  yesterday?"  said  Tony. 

Spalding  inclined  his  head.  "Mrs.  Spalding  in- 
formed me  of  the  facts,  sir.  They  appear  to  have 
made  a  considerable  impression  upon  her," 

"Mrs.  Spalding  was  magnificent,"  said  Tony. 
"It's  quite  impossible  to  frighten  her." 


Molly  Becomes  an  Ally  233 

"Quite,  sir, "  agreed  Spalding.  "I  have  observed 
that  myself,  sir. " 

"I  hope  you  don't  object,  Spalding,"  said  Tony. 
"I  don't  think  we  did  any  harm  to  your  property.  " 

"That's  perfectly  all  right,  sir,  "  replied  the  butler. 
"I  trust  that  you  will  consider  yourself  quite  at  home 
there.     The  house  is  fully  insured. ' ' 

"Thank  you,  Spalding,"  said  Tony.  "You  are 
always  very  obliging. " 

Spalding  acknowledged  the  compliment  with  an- 
other grave  bow,  and  picking  up  the  current  copy 
of  the  Auto  Car,  which  contained  a  description  of  the 
last  Brooklands  meeting,  Tony  sauntered  out  again 
on  to  the  lawn. 

Here  he  established  himself  comfortably  in  a 
basket-chair,  and  after  lighting  a  pipe,  opened  the 
paper  at  the  article  in  question.  It  was  enriched 
with  several  complimentary  references  to  himself  and 
his  driving,  and  Tony,  who  liked  to  hear  agreeable 
sentiments  expressed  about  any  one  that  he  was  fond 
of,  read  it  through  with  appreciative  interest.  He 
had  just  finished,  and  was  lying  back  in  the  sunshine 
in  a  pleasant  state  of  contentment  with  the  Universe, 
when  the  French  window  opened  and  Spalding  came 
down  on  to  the  lawn,  carrying  a  small  silver  salver, 
containing  a  couple  of  visiting  cards.  He  advanced 
to  where  Tony  was  sitting. 

"Two  gentlemen  have  called,  sir,  and  would  like 
to  see  you. " 

Tony  took  out  his  pipe  and  shook  off  the  ash  on 
to  the  grass. 


234         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"What  are  their  names,  Spalding?"  he  inquired. 

The  butler  glanced  at  the  cards  as  if  to  refresh  his 
memory. 

"They  are  two  foreign  gentlemen,  Sir  Antony. 
The  Marquis  da  Freitas,  and  the  Coimt  de  Se. " 


CHAPTER   XIII 


A   MOVE   BY   THE   ENEMY 


There  was  a  moment's  pause,  and  then  in  a 
leisurely  fashion  Tony  knocked  the  remaining  to- 
bacco out  of  his  pipe,  and  put  it  away  in  his  pocket. 

"How  jolly!"  he  observed.  "What  have  you 
done  with  them?" 

"I  have  shown  them  into  the  library.  Sir  Antony.  " 

Tony  got  up  from  his  chair  and  pulled  down  his 
coat. 

"Do  I  look  respectable,  Spalding?"  he  asked.  "I 
shouldn't  like  to  receive  such  distinguished  visitors 
with  any  suggestion  of  slovenliness." 

Spalding  inspected  him  carefully,  and  then  stepping 
forward  removed  a  small  piece  of  white  thread  from 
the  knee  of  his  trousers. 

"There  is  nothing  the  matter  now,  Sir  Antony," 
he  replied. 

Tony  walked  leisurely  up  the  steps  into  the  house, 
and  crossing  the  morning-room  and  the  hall,  opened 
the  door  of  the  library. 

Da  Freitas  and  the  Count,  both  irreproachably 
dressed  in  frock  coats,  were  standing  on  the  hearth- 
rug. 

235 


236         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"Hulloa,  Marquis!"  observed  Tony.  "This  is 
awfully  nice  of  you  to  come  and  look  me  up.  A  sort 
of  burying  of  the  pugilistic  hatchet,  eh?" 

With  an  affable  bow  the  Marquis  accepted  his 
proffered  hand. 

"It  is  my  hope  that  we  shall  always  be  good 
friends,"  he  replied  in  that  smooth  purring  voice  of 
his.  Then  indicating  his  companion,  he  added :  * '  May 
I  have  the  honour  of  presenting  you  to  the  Count 
deSe?" 

Tony  shook  hands  in  turn  with  the  Count,  who 
in  contrast  with  the  urbane  Da  Freitas  appeared 
nervous  and  ill  at  ease. 

"How  do  you  do?"  said  Tony.  "I  suppose  it's 
my  imagination,  but  d'you  know  I  can't  help  feeling 
I  have  seen  you  before  somewhere. " 

For  a  moment  the  Count  seemed  at  a  loss  how  to 
reply,  and  before  he  could  recover  himself  the  Mar- 
quis da  Freitas  had  taken  up  the  gauntlet. 

"You  are  right.  Sir  Antony.  You  made  the 
Count's  acquaintance  in  Richmond  Park  the  day 
before  yesterday.  It  is  that  meeting  to  a  certain 
extent  which  is  responsible  for  our  visit.  " 

With  an  air  of  pleased  remembrance,  Tony  turned 
back  to  Isabel's  guardian. 

"Why,  of  course,"  he  exclaimed.  "How  stupid 
of  me!  I  say,  I  hope  you  didn't  hurt  yourself  when 
you  fell  off  the  car  ? ' ' 

The  Count  drew  himself  up.  "It  is  through  a 
miracle  that  I  was  not  killed,  "  he  replied  with  some 
stiffness. 


A  Move  by  the  Enemy  237 

Tony  nodded  sympathetically.  "I  know,"  he 
said.  "That's  the  danger  of  a  clay  soil.  It  gets  so 
hard  in  hot  weather.  " 

A  sudden  tinge  of  colour  appeared  in  the  Count's 
parchment-like  face,  and  once  again  the  soothing 
tones  of  Da  Freitas  broke  in  upon  the  conversation. 

"I  expect,"  he  said  suavely,  "that  we  have  all 
been  more  or  less  under  a  misunderstanding.  I 
am  quite  sure  that  when  matters  are  explained  this 
little  Comedy  of  Errors  will  settle  itself.  " 

"I  shouldn't  wonder,"  said  Tony.  "But  won't 
you  both  sit  down  and  have  a  cigar?  There's  no 
reason  we  shouldn't  be  comfortable  while  we  are 
talking." 

He  took  a  box  off  the  mantelpiece  and  held  it  out 
in  turn  to  his  two  guests.  Da  Freitas  helped  him- 
self, and  after  a  second's  hesitation  the  Count  fol- 
lowed suit,  as  though  the  tempting  appearance  of  the 
cabanas  that  it  contained  had  proved  too  strong  for 
his  contemplated  refusal. 

It  was  Da  Freitas  who  reopened  the  conversation. 
Having  seated  himself  on  the  broad  leather-covered 
couch  against  the  wall,  he  took  an  appreciative  pull  at 
his  cigar,  and  then  removed  it  carefully  from  between 
his  thick  lips. 

"I  suppose,  "  he  said,  "that  you  are  aware  who  the 
young  lady  is  that  you  have  apparently  been  good- 
natured  enough  to  assist?" 

It  was  the  identical  question  that  Congosta  had 
opened  with,  and  Tony  answered  it  in  much  the  same 
fashion. 


238         The  I^dy  from  Long  Acre 

"Why,  of  course,"  he  said.  "When  I  make  new 
friends  I  am  always  most  careful  about  their  ante- 
cedents. " 

The  Marquis  looked  up  at  him  sharply,  but  Tony's 
face  remained  absolutely  expressionless. 

"As  you  may  imagine,  "  continued  the  former,  "it 
was  a  cause  of  infinite  relief  to  the  Count  and  myself 
to  learn  that  her  foolish  escapade  had  had  no  more 
serious  consequences."  He  paused.  "We  should 
be  interested  to  learn  how  and  under  what  circum- 
stances you  became  acquainted." 

"We  were  introduced  by  a  mutual  acquaintance 
in  Long  Acre,  "  said  Tony. 

The  Marquis  raised  his  eyebrows.  "Ah,  indeed!" 
he  replied  courteously.  "I  had  no  idea  that  Isabella 
had  any  acquaintances  in  London.  That  was  one 
thing  that  made  us  so  extremely  anxious  about  her." 

He  paused  again  as  though  giving  Tony  an  oppor- 
tunity to  be  a  little  more  communicative — a  thought- 
ful attention  which  the  latter  appeared  to  overlook. 

"I  suppose,"  he  continued  with  a  good-natured 
laugh,  "that  the  dear  foolish  child  has  been  telling 
you  of  the  terrible  tragedies  of  a  high  destiny.  She 
is  incredibly  romantic  as  you  have  doubtless  seen. 
It's  a  charming  weakness  in  a  young  girl,  but" — he 
shrugged  his  shoulders — "well,  sometimes  we  poor 
elders  are  forced  to  appear  unsympathetic  in  order 
to  be  kind." 

"Yes,"  said  Tony,  "so  I  gather." 

Again  the  Marquis  glanced  at  him  quickly,  and 
then  as  if  partly  reassured  by  the  perfect  tranquillity 


A  Move  by  the  Enemy  239 

of  his  countenance,  proceeded  in  the  same  strain  of 
benevolent  urbanity. 

"To  youth  the  claims  of  duty  must  always  seem 
hard  and  unreasonable.  One  would  not  wish  it 
otherwise.  If  we  were  not  a  little  unwise  and  impa- 
tient in  the  spring-time  of  life,  what  interest  would 
be  left  to  us  for  the  autumn  and  the  winter?"  He 
took  another  pull  at  his  cigar,  and  blew  out  a  philo- 
sophic cloud  of  smoke.  "I  presume,"  he  added 
smilingly,  "that  you  are  fully  acquainted  with  the 
main  cause  of  our  little  runaway's  desperate  de- 
cision?" 

"I  understand,  "  said  Tony,  "that  she  was  unable 
to  appreciate  the  more  subtle  points  of  her  selected 
husband?" 

Da  Freitas  waved  his  hand  indulgently.  ' '  Ah,  well, 
my  dear  Sir  Antony,  between  ourselves  I  do  not  mind 
admitting  that  His  Majesty  is  not  perhaps  the  figure 
of  Romance  that  a  young  girl  pictures  in  her  dreams. 
But  what  would  you?  He  loves  her  devotedly,  and 
he  will  make  her  a  good — an  excellent  husband.  It 
will  be  an  ideal  marriage  in  every  way. " 

"You  really  think  so?"  said  Tony  artlessly. 

"I  am  sure  of  it.  Why  should  I  have  encouraged 
it  otherwise?  We  have  nothing  to  gain  politically 
by  such  a  match.  His  Majesty  might  have  made  an 
alliance  with  one  of  the  most  powerful  reigning  houses 
in  Europe,  but  he  loves  his  cousin,  and  I  am  old- 
fashioned  enough  to  believe  that  when  there  is  no 
great  objection  it  is  best  to  follow  the  counsels  of  the 
heart." 


240         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"But  there  is  a  grave  objection  "  said  Tony,  " — on 
the  lady's  part." 

Again  Da  Freitas  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "My 
dear  Sir  Antony — a  young  girl's  whims  and  fancies! 
What  are  they  anyway?  Three  parts  shyness  and 
modesty.  Within  a  week  of  her  marriage  she  will 
be  perfectly  happy  and  contented. " 

Tony  leaned  back  and  crossed  his  legs.  "Well, 
I'll  tell  her  what  you  say, "  he  observed,  "but  I  am 
afraid  I  can't  hold  out  much  hope." 

There  was  a  short  and  rather  pregnant  silence. 

"The  position  does  not  appear  to  be  quite  clear 
to  you.  Sir  Antony,"  remarked  Da  Freitas  with  a 
somewhat  excessive  politeness.  "While  we  appre- 
ciate your  friendly  offer  of  assistance,  there  can  be 
no  question  of  our  sending  messages  through  any 
third  party.  The  Count  de  Se  is  Her  Highness's 
legal  guardian,  and  the  sooner  she  is  returned  to  his 
care  and  protection,  the  better  it  will  be  for  every- 
body concerned." 

"I  daresay,"  replied  Tony  lazily;  "but  you  see 
there's  a  difficulty  in  the  way.  She  dislikes  him 
even  more  than  she  does  you  and  Pedro." 

Da  Freitas  controlled  himself  admirably. 

"It  is  scarcely  a  question  of  Her  Highness's  per- 
sonal feelings, "  he  observed.  "I  fancy  that  we  are 
the  best  judges  of  her  future  welfare,  and  in  any  case 
the  present  state  of  affairs  cannot  possibly  be  allowed 
to  continue. " 

"I  don't  see  why,"  persisted  Tony  cheerfully. 
"I  have  adopted  Isabel  as  a  cousin,  and  the  arrange- 


A  Move  by  the  Enemy  241 

ment  suits  us  both  excellently.  Of  course  I  am  sorry 
in  a  way  that  Pedro  should  be  disappointed,  but 
after  all  it  only  serves  him  right.  I  don't  approve  of 
a  young  man  marrying  a  nice  girl,  unless  he  has  led 
a  healthy  and  reputable  life.  " 

This  was  too  much  for  the  Count  de  Se,  who 
started  up  in  his  chair  with  an  indignant  gasp. 

"Sir!  "  he  exclaimed.     "You  are  insolent." 

Tony  looked  across  at  him  with  perfect  good 
temper. 

"We  are  all  insolent  in  England,"  he  said. 
"It's  the  result  of  there  being  no  duelling.  " 

"Sir  Antony  is  indulging  his  sense  of  humour," 
broke  in  Da  Freitas  with  a  dangerous  suavity.  "We 
can  hardly  insult  his  intelligence  by  suggesting  that 
he  is  taking  up  this  position  seriously.  Otherwise 
it  might  be  necessary  to  remind  him  that  in  this  great 
and  admirable  country  of  his  there  is  such  a  thing  as 
the  Law. ' ' 

"I  have  been  told,"  said  Tony,  "that  it  is  our 
supreme  national  achievement. " 

"It  is  at  least  effective,"  replied  Da  Freitas  with 
some  significance.  "I  understand  that  it  takes  a 
very  definite  view  as  to  the  detention  of  a  minor  from 
her  legal  guardian. " 

"There  is  only  one  trouble  about  the  law  in  Eng- 
land,"  said  Tony.  "It's  inclined  to  be  slow  in  its 
operation. " 

Da  Freitas'  white  teeth  exhibited  themselves  in  a 
smile. 

"That,"  he  observed,  "is  a  universal  weakness  in 


242         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

legal  systems,  but  fortunately  there  are  ways  and 
methods  of  overcoming  it  In  the  present  case,  for 
instance,  I  fancy  that  a  few  words  from  me  to  your 
extremely  courteous  and  obliging  Foreign  Office 
might  have  a  very  far-reaching  effect.  " 

"I  am  sure  they  would,"  said  Tony  cordially. 
"In  fact  I  shouldn't  be  the  least  surprised  if  they 
reached  as  far  as  Livadia.  It's  extraordinary  how 
news  travels — especially  interesting  and  romantic 
news  of  this  sort.  " 

Once  again  there  was  a  pause  in  the  conversa- 
tion. Then  Da  Freitas  laughed — easily  and  pleas- 
antly. 

'Tf  that  remark  is  intended  for  a  threat,  I  am 
afraid  that  your  information  is  a  little  out  of  date. 
His  Majesty's  intentions  are  already  known  to  the 
government  at  Portriga. " 

Tony  shook  his  head.  "I  wasn't  thinking  so 
much  about  the  government,  "  he  said.  "It  was  the 
friends  and  supporters  of  the  late  Don  Francisco 
that  I  had  in  my  mind.  I've  got  an  idea  that  some 
of  them  might  like  to  come  over  to  Richmond  and 
congratulate  the  Count  on  having  arranged  such  a 
satisfactory  marriage. " 

The  effect  that  this  innocent  remark  produced 
upon  Isabel's  uncle  was  prompt  and  remarkable.  His 
naturally  unpleasant  complexion  went  a  sort  of  dirty 
green,  and  flinging  his  half-smoked  cigar  on  the 
carpet  he  rose  unsteadily  to  his  feet. 

"Are  we  to  sit  here  and  be  threatened  and  insulted 
any  longer?"  he  demanded. 


A  Move  by  the  Enemy  243 

"Apparently  not,"  said  Tony,  "but  all  the  same 
there's  no  need  to  bum  a  hole  in  my  nice  carpet. " 

With  a  masterful  gesture  Da  Freitas  checked  his 
companion's  outburst.  Then  he  too  rose  from  the 
sofa,  and  stood  facing  Tony  with  the  same  easy  and 
smiling  urbanity  that  he  had  displayed  all  through 
the  interview. 

' '  We  are  flattered  at  your  interest  in  the  affairs  of 
our  afflicted  country,  Sir  Antony;  but  if  you  will 
forgive  my  offering  you  a  little  advice,  it  is  a  danger- 
ous habit  to  make  a  plaything  out  of  what  other 
people  take  seriously.  " 

Tony  stepped  to  the  fireplace  and  pressed  the  elec- 
tric bell. 

"All  real  pleasure  seems  to  have  a  certain  amount 
of  risk  about  it,"  he  admitted  sadly.  "The  only 
thing  to  do  is  to  hope  for  the  best  and  take  every 
proper  precaution. ' ' 

The  Marquis  picked  up  his  hat  from  the  table  on 
which  he  had  placed  it. 

"I  have  heard  more  foolish  remarks,  "  he  observed, 
"from  considerably  wiser  people." 

There  was  a  sound  outside,  and  then  the  door 
opened  and  Spalding  appeared  on  the  threshold. 

Tony  turned  to  his  guests.  "Have  you  got  a 
car?"  he  inquired,  "or  can  my  man  drive  you  any- 
where ? ' ' 

Da  Freitas  bowed.  "You  are  very  kind,"  he 
said,  "but  there  is  no  need  to  trouble  you.  We  are 
in  the  fortunate  position  of  being  able  to  look  after 
ourselves — in  every  way.  " 


244         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

He  walked  to  the  door,  followed  by  the  Count  de 
Se,  who  haughtily  ignored  Tony's  polite  farewell. 
Leaning  against  the  mantelpiece  the  latter  waited 
placidly  until  he  heard  the  grind  and  scrunch  of  the 
departing  car,  and  then  strolling  out  into  the  hall 
discovered  Spalding  in  the  act  of  closing  the  front 
door. 

"Have  Miss  Francis  and  Mr.  Guy  come  back 
yet?"  he  inquired. 

"Yes,  Sir  Antony,"  replied  Spalding.  "They 
returned  a  few  minutes  ago  and  are  waiting  in 
the  garden.  I  took  the  liberty  of  informing 
them  who  your  visitors  were.  You  had  given  no 
instructions,  but  I  thought  you  might  wish  them 
to  know. " 

"It's  a  waste  of  time  giving  you  instructions, 
Spalding,"  said  Tony.  "Your  instincts  are  so 
invariably  accurate. " 

Spalding,  as  usual,  acknowledged  the  compliment 
with  a  slight  bow. 

"Would  you  wish  lunch  to  be  served,  sir?"  he 
inquired.  "Or  shall  I  put  it  off  for  a  quarter  of  an 
hour?" 

"Oh,  no,  you  can  bring  it  up,"  said  Tony.  "I 
want  support.  There  is  something  very  exhausting 
about  the  foreign  aristocracy." 

He  strolled  out  into  the  garden,  where  Isabel  and 
Guy,  who  were  back  in  their  old  seats,  jumped  up 
eagerly  to  meet  him. 

"Well?"  they  inquired  simultaneously. 

"Fairly  so,  "  said  Tony,  "considering  what  I  have 


A  Move  by  the  Enemy  245 

been  through.  I  had  no  idea  that  this  conspiracy 
business  was  such  an  intellectual  strain.  " 

"Oh,  what  did  Da  Freitas  say?"  asked  Isabel 
clasping  her  hands.  * '  I  could  almost  see  him  stand- 
ing there  smiling  and  threatening  you  in  that  horrible 
smooth  way  of  his.  " 

"He  was  in  quite  good  form,"  said  Tony  cheer- 
fully, "and  so  was  Uncle  Phil."  He  put  his  arm 
through  hers.  "But  come  along  in  and  I'll  tell  you 
all  about  it  while  we  are  having  some  food.  We 
mustn't  allow  our  pleasures  to  interfere  with  the 
more  serious  duties  of  life.  " 

They  made  their  way  to  the  dining-room,  where 
Spalding  was  just  bringing  in  lunch,  and  over  an 
excellent  saddle  of  mutton  Tony  gave  them  a  leisurely 
but  animated  description  of  his  recent  interview. 

"I  don't  know  what  you  think,"  he  finished, 
"but  my  own  idea  is  that  Da  Freitas  was  skid- 
ding a  little  from  the  truth  when  he  said  that  the 
Republican  government  knew  all  about  Peter's 
matrimonial  plans.  I  don't  see  how  they  can, 
unless  Congosta's  people  have  told  them,  and  that 
isn't  hkely." 

"They  may  have  spies  of  their  own,"  suggested 
Guy.  "They  must  know  that  the  King  is  plotting 
to  come  back,  and  you  can  be  pretty  sure  that  they 
are  keeping  an  eye  on  him  some  way  or  other." 
He  paused.  "I  wonder  what  Da  Freitas  will  do 
next!"  he  added. 

"We  needn't  worry  ourselves,  "  said  Tony.  "We 
shall  find  out  before  very  long.     I  never  saw  a  middle- 


246         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

aged  nobleman  more  obviously  bent  upon  immediate 

mivSchief. " 

Isabel  nodded  her  agreement.  "He  always  has 
some  plan  ready  if  another  one  fails.  In  Livadia 
when  he  was  Prime  Minister  they  used  to  call  him 
the  Black  Spider." 

"  Do  you  think  he  knows  where  Isabel  is?"  asked 
Guy. 

"I  shouldn't  wonder,"  said  Tony  placidly.  "He 
gave  me  the  impression  of  having  several  aces  up  his 
sleeve." 

Guy  frowned  thoughtfully.  "I  don't  think  it's 
very  safe  leaving  her  at  Spalding's  with  only  Bugg 
to  look  after  her.  These  people  have  big  interests 
at  stake  and  they  won't  mind  what  methods  they 
employ. " 

"No,"  said  Tony,  "to  do  Da  Freitas  justice  I 
shouldn't  think  there  was  any  maudlin  fastidious- 
ness about  him."  He  paused  to  mix  himself  a 
whisky  and  soda.  "I  am  inclined  to  think  you're 
right,  Guy.  The  best  thing  with  these  strong,  un- 
scrupulous men  is  to  put  temptation  out  of  their 
reach. " 

* '  How  do  you  propose  to  do  it  ? "  asked  Guy. 

"I  shall  go  along  this  afternoon  to  Aunt  Fanny 
and  see  if  I  can't  persuade  her  to  ask  Isabel  to  come 
and  stay.  She  ought  to  be  quite  safe  there.  No  one 
would  ever  think  of  looking  for  a  Queen  in  Chester 
Square.     It's  so  respectable.  " 

"I  seem  to  be  getting  more  of  a  bother  than  ever,  " 
observed  Isabel  in  rather  a  distressed  voice. 


A  Move  by  the  Enemy  247 

"Not  at  all,"  said  Guy  firmly.  "Every  right- 
minded  person  finds  it  a  pleasure  and  a  privilege  to 
prevent  injustice  being  done.  " 

"Especially  to  any  one  beautiful, "  added  Tony. 
"It's  wonderful  how  beauty  quickens  one's  ethical 
sense."  He  turned  to  Isabel.  "How  would  you 
like  to  go  to  a  music  hall  to-night  ? "  he  asked. 

"Very  much,"  said  Isabel  promptly. 

A  faint  cloud  of  disapproval  showed  itself  on 
Guy's  forehead. 

"Don't  3^ou  think  a  theatre  would  be  more — more 
appropriate?"  he  asked. 

"No,"  said  Tony,  "I  don't.  Isabel  knows  no- 
thing of  the  deeper  and  better  side  of  our  English 
national  life,  and  it's  quite  time  she  learned.  I  shall 
take  her  to  the  Empire."  He  paused.  "I  don't 
like  leaving  her  alone  all  this  afternoon  though,  "  he 
added  thoughtfully.  "I  suppose  you  couldn't  possi- 
bly snatch  an  hour  or  two,  Guy ?" 

"Oh,  I  shall  be  all  right,"  interrupted  Isabel 
hastily.  "You  mustn't  think  of  putting  yourself 
out  for  me,  Cousin  Guy." 

Guy  laid  down  his  knife  and  fork.  "My  dear 
Isabel,  "  he  said  in  that  precise  and  dignified  manner 
of  his;  "when  you  know  Tony  as  well  as  I  do,  you 
won't  pay  the  faintest  attention  to  his  remarks.  I 
am  not  the  least  busy  this  afternoon  and  I  shall  be 
only  too  pleased  if  you  will  accept  my  company. ' ' 

"I  shall  be  delighted,  "  said  Isabel,  "but  I  am  not 
really  frightened  of  Da  Freitas  now.  Look  what  I 
got  yesterday. " 


248         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

She  slipped  her  hand  into  an  inside  pocket  of  the 
tailormade  coat  that  she  was  wearing,  and  pulled  out 
a  tiny  little  ivory -handled  pistol,  which  she  held  out 
for  Tony's  inspection. 

"It's  one  of  Harrod's,  "  she  added,  "I  saw  it  in  his 
list.     Isn't  it  nice?" 

"Charming,"  said  Tony.  "I  had  no  idea  that 
Harrod  was  so  blood-thirsty.  " 

"  Is  it  loaded  ? ' '  inquired  Guy  with  a  faint  trace  of 
anxiety. 

"Oh,  yes,"  said  Isabel  promptly.  "Harrod  says 
it  will  kill  a  man  at  ten  yards.  " 

"You  ought  to  hit  Da  Freitas  all  right  at  ten 
yards,"  observed  Tony  critically.  "He's  very 
podgy. " 

"You  mustn't  encourage  her  in  such  ideas," 
broke  in  Guy.  "We  are  not  in  Livadia  or  South 
America."  He  turned  to  Isabel.  "People  don't 
shoot  at  each  other  in  England,"  he  explained. 
* '  It's  against  the  law  and  they  would  be  very  severely 
punished.  You  had  better  give  me  that  to  look  after 
for  you. " 

Isabel  shook  her  head.  "I  shall  shoot  at  him 
if  he  tries  to  take  me  back,"  she  said  with  deter- 
mination. "I  would  rather  go  to  prison  than  marry 
Pedro." 

"A  very  healthy  and  reasonable  sentiment," 
remarked  Tony.  "Guy  has  the  most  morbid  ideas 
about  the  sanctity  of  human  life.  He  ought  to 
belong  to  the  National  Liberal  Club.  " 

Isabel  put  back  the  pistol  into  her  pocket,  and 


A  Move   by  the  Enemy  249 

after  one  more  unavailing  effort  Guy  abandoned  his 
protest  as  useless. 

"I  suppose  it's  on  a  par  with  the  rest  of  the  situa- 
tion, "  he  observed  gloomily.  "We  shall  probably 
all  end  in  prison  or  something  worse  before  we've 
finished." 

Tony  laughed  and  pushed  across  the  whisky. 

"Never  mind,  Guy,  "  he  replied  in  an  encouraging 
voice.  "We  shall  be  able  to  look  back  on  beautiful 
and  well-spent  lives,  and  that's  the  only  thing  that 
really  matters. " 

It  was  close  on  four  o'clock  when  Tony  arrived  at 
Chester  Square,  and  was  shown  up  to  the  drawing- 
room  by  Lady  Jocelyn's  trim  and  efficient-looking 
parlour-maid.  Lady  Jocelyn  herself  was  sitting  on 
the  sofa  reading  one  of  Anatole  France's  earlier 
novels,  and  she  shut  the  book  up  with  a  pleased 
smile  as  her  visitor  appeared  on  the  threshold. 

"Dear  Tony,"  she  said.  "How  nice  of  you  to 
come  so  soon.  I  have  been  positively  ill  with  curi- 
osity.   It's  the  only  disease  I  can't  bear  with  dignity. " 

Tony  kissed  her  affectionately  and  sat  down  on  the 
sofa  beside  her. 

"I  have  brought  you  the  cure.  Aunt  Fanny, "  he 
replied,  "but  I'm  afraid  it's  rather  an  exhausting 
one.  Do  you  feel  strong  enough  to  listen  to  a  long 
and  distressing  story,  involving  some  of  the  noblest 
names  in  Europe?" 

"The  longer  and  distressinger  it  is,"  said  Lady 
Jocelyn,  "the  more  I  shall  enjoy  it.  "  She  stretched 
out  her  hand  to  a  small  table  beside  her,  and  pressed 


250         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

an  electric  bell.  "But  perhaps  we  had  better  have 
tea  up  first, ' '  she  added.  ' '  A  cup  of  tea  improves  the 
best  scandal  in  the  world.  It  makes  it  seem  more 
abandoned. " 

"I  suppose  that  accounts  for  the  great  wealth  of 
Lip  ton  and  Lyons, "  said  Tony.  "I  had  always  put 
it  down  to  their  Scottish  blood. " 

The  neat  parlour-maid  returned,  and  having  been 
requested  to  bring  tea,  duly  performed  that  operation 
with  the  deftness  and  celerity  that  characterized  all 
Lady  Jocelyn's  servants.  Then,  having  received 
instructions  that  no  other  visitors  were  to  be  ad- 
mitted, she  retired  gracefully  from  the  scene,  closing 
the  door  behind  her. 

"Now  you  can  begin,  Tony, "  said  Lady  Jocelyn, 
handing  him  one  of  her  fragile  Sevres  cups.  ' '  Speak 
slowly  and  don't  omit  any  of  the  more  painful  de- 
tails. I  can  bear  anything  provided  it's  sufficiently 
scandalous. " 

Thus  encouraged  Tony  entered  upon  his  task,  and 
in  practically  the  same  words  as  he  had  already  told 
it  to  Molly  he  repeated  the  moving  story  of  his  dis- 
covery of  Isabel,  and  the  bracing  results  which  had 
sprung  from  their  acquaintance.  Lady  Jocelyn 
listened  to  him  with  a  silent  but  deep  enjoyment 
which  showed  itself  plainly  in  her  twinkling  black 
eyes.  Like  Molly  she  made  no  interruptions  until 
he  had  finished,  contenting  herself  with  an  occasional 
nod  or  an  appreciative  smile  as  the  more  interesting 
developments  gradually  unrolled  themselves.  When 
the  whole  story  was  finally  concluded,  she  lay  back 


A  Move  by  the  Enemy  251 

against  the  cushions  and  surveyed  him  with  a  sort 
of  affectionate  approval. 

"My  dear  Tony,  "  she  said.  "I  have  done  you  a 
great  injustice.  Ever  since  you  were  a  small  boy, 
I  have  admired  your  efforts  at  brightening  the  family 
life,  but  I  never  suspected  you  were  capable  of  any- 
thing like  this. " 

"I  think  I  have  always  been  a  little  misunder- 
stood," answered  Tony  modestly.  "Some  people 
develop  late,  you  know.  " 

Lady  Jocelyn  laughed  softly.  ' '  I  can  now  depart 
in  peace,"  she  said.  "If  any  one  had  told  me  that 
I  should  live  to  see  Laura  and  Henry  mixed  up  even 
remotely  in  a  bloodthirsty  European  scandal — " 
She  broke  off,  as  if  mere  words  were  inadequate  to 
express  the  depth  of  her  emotions. 

"It  is  rather  joyous,  isn't  it?"  said  Tony.  "Still 
it's  their  own  fault,  you  know.  They  have  been 
worrying  me  to  take  up  some  serious  profession  ever 
since  the  war. " 

"Well,  they  can't  complain  then,"  agreed  Lady 
Jocelyn.  "Kidnapping  Queens  is  one  of  the  most 
serious  professions  that  any  young  man  could  pos- 
sibly adopt."  She  arranged  herself  a  little  more 
comfortably  on  the  sofa,  and  looked  across  at  Tony 
with  a  smile.  "And  what  about  my  part  in  the 
play?"  she  asked.  "Am  I  to  be  the  Fairy  God- 
mother?" 

For  a  moment  Tony  paused.  "I  don't  know,  "  he 
said.  "Upon  my  soul  I  don't  like  to  drag  you  into 
it.  Aunt  Fanny." 


252         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"Nonsense,"  retorted  Lady  Jocelyn  briskly. 
"People  of  my  age  require  a  little  mental  stimulant 
to  keep  their  interest  in  life  alive."  She  paused. 
"Besides,  you  must  think  of  the  girl.  Even  a 
Princess's  reputation  has  to  be  considered." 

Tony  nodded.  "That's  our  weak  point,"  he 
observed.  "We've  got  a  good  hand,  but  we're  a  bit 
thin  on  chaperons." 

"It's  quite  simple,"  said  Lady  Jocelyn.  "You 
must  bring  her  to  stay  with  me.  I  am  sure  we  should 
get  along  together  excellently.  I  like  girls  with  red 
hair." 

"I  did  think  of  it,"  admitted  Tony;  "but  you 
know.  Aunt  Fanny,  it's  really  rather  risky.  Those 
sleek  purring  people  like  Da  Freitas  are  dangerous 
beggars  when  they  mean  mischief.  " 

"I  am  not  frightened,"  answered  Lady  Jocelyn 
calmly.  "There  is  a  very  reliable  policeman  at  the 
corner,  and  the  house  is  heavily  insured."  She 
laid  down  the  piece  of  silk  knitting  which  she  had 
picked  up  after  tea.  "Tony,"  she  said  suddenly, 
' '  I  have  got  an  idea.  If  you  are  really  determined  to 
play  the  knight  errant  for  this  young  woman,  why 
don't  you  put  that  very  comfortable  steam  yacht  of 
yours  into  commission  and  take  her  away  out  of 
danger?  If  you  will  go  to  some  nice  place  I  don't 
mind  coming  with  you  and  looking  after  the  pro- 
prieties.    I  am  very  fond  of  a  sea  voyage  even  now,  " 

Tony  sat  up  and  gazed  at  her  with  admiration. 

"My  dear  Aunt  Fanny!"  he  exclaimed.  "That's 
not  an  idea.     That's  a  stroke  of  pure  genius. "     He 


A  Move  by  the  Enemy  253 

paused  as- if  to  allow  the  full  brilliance  of  the  sugges- 
tion to  sink  into  him.  "I  could  bring  Guy  too,  "  he 
added,  "and  then  we  should  have  a  four  for  bridge.  " 

"If  Guy  would  come,"  said  Lady  Jocelyn.  "He 
probably  considers  the  ocean  not  quite  respectable.  " 

"Oh,  he'd  come  all  right,"  said  Tony.  "He's 
getting  much  broader-minded,  especially  where 
Isabel's  concerned. "  He  got  up  from  the  sofa. 
"I  will  send  a  wire  to  Simmons  on  my  way  back. 
The  Betty  is  in  Southampton  and  it  won't  take  more 
than  a  day  or  two  to  get  her  ready.  " 

"You  are  going  to  bring  Isabel  to  stay  with  me 
just  the  same,  I  suppose?"  asked  Lady  Jocelyn. 
"Apart  altogether  from  Mrs.  Grundy,  I  should  think 
it  would  be  much  safer  for  her  to  leave  Hampstead. 
I  expect  Da  Freitas  knows  where  she  is,  and  in  that 
case  she  must  be  in  a  certain  amount  of  danger.  " 

Tony  nodded.  "I  will  bring  her  along  myself 
to-morrow  morning,  "  he  said.  "The  house  is  prob- 
ably watched,  but  I  shall  take  her  a  nice  little  run 
in  the  Peugot  first.  I  don't  think  any  one  will  find 
out  where  we  finish  up.  "  He  paused.  "You  really 
are  a  darling.  Aunt  Fanny,  "  he  added.  "I  have  no 
idea  how  to  thank  you.  " 

Lady  Jocelyn  smiled  at  him  placidly.  ' '  I  will  tell 
you,  Tony, "  she  said,  "after  I  have  seen  Isabel. " 

There  is  a  small  confectioner's  shop,  not  a  hundred 
yards  from  Victoria  Station,  which  for  some  dark 
purpose  of  his  own  the  Post  Master  General  has 
enriched  with  a  Telegraph  Office.  Here  Tony 
halted  the  car  on  his  return  journey,  and  sauntering 


254         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

up  to  the  desk  inside,  selected  a  form,  which  after 
some  consideration  he  filled  up  with  the  following 
message : 

To  Captain  Simmons, 
Steam  yacht  Betty, 
Southampton. 

Please  make  all  preparations  immediate  sailing. 
Party  of  six  or  seven  including  servants.  Duration  of 
voyage  uncertain.  Wire  earliest  date  likely  to  be  ready. 
Hope  you're  well. 

Conway. 

He  handed  it  to  the  girl  behind  the  counter,  an 
anaemic  young  lady  of  about  seventeen,  who  having 
read  it  carefully  with  the  aid  of  a  pencil,  looked  up  at 
him  with  a  rather  wistful  envy. 

"One  shilling  and  eightpence, "  she  observed. 
Then  in  a  low  voice  she  added:  "Wish  I  was  comin' 
too.     Some  people  have  all  the  luck. " 

Tony  put  his  hand  in  his  pocket  and  pulled  out  a 
five-pound  note.  He  glanced  round,  and  seeing  that 
no  one  was  observing  them,  pushed  it  across  the 
counter. 

' '  Never  mind,  Gwendohne, ' '  he  said  encouragingly. 
"Pay  for  the  telegram  out  of  that,  and  try  to  keep 
the  other  nine  commandments. ' ' 

Then,  before  the  astounded  young  lady  had  re- 
covered her  power  of  speech,  he  lifted  his  hat,  and 
strolled  off  out  of  the  shop  in  the  same  leisurely 
fashion  as  he  had  entered  it. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

A    DISTURBANCE    IN    HAMPSTEAD 

Isabel  gazed  round  the  cheerful,  brightly  lighted 
little  restaurant  with  a  glance  of  complete  content- 
ment. 

"I  am  quite  sure  father  was  wrong  about  our 
being  the  rightful  heirs  to  the  throne,"  she  said, 
"Anyhow,  I  don't  feel  the  least  like  a  queen.  " 

"You  mustn't  be  so  exacting,"  replied  Tony. 
"You  look  like  one;  and  that's  all  that  any  reason- 
able girl  has  any  right  to  expect.  " 

"Still,"  persisted  Isabel,  "I  expect  that  proper 
kings  and  queens  have  a  special  sort  of  Royal  feeling 
inside.  I  haven't  got  it  in  the  least.  I  have  been  a 
thousand  times  happier  since  I  ran  away  than  I  ever 
should  be  if  I  was  stuck  up  on  a  throne.  It's  the 
silly  pretence  of  it  all  that  I  should  hate  so.  Even  the 
sort  of  semi-state  that  we  used  to  keep  up  when 
Father  was  alive  nearly  drove  me  mad.  It  was  like 
being  surrounded  by  a  lot  of  stupid  shadows.  Do 
you  know  that  except  for  Miss  Watson,  you  and 
Cousin  Guy  are  the  first  real  people  I  have  ever  met.  " 

"There  are  not  many  about,"  said  Tony.  "At 
least  that's  how  it  seems  to  me.     I  always  feel  as  if  I 

255 


256         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

was  in  the  stalls  of  a  theatre  looking  on  at  a  play. 
The  only  real  people  are  one's  friends  who  are  sitting 
alongside,  criticizing  and  abusing  it.  " 

Isabel  nodded.  "It's  the  first  time  I  have  been  in 
the  audience,"  she  said.  "Up  till  now  I  haven't 
even  done  any  acting.  I  have  just  been  waiting 
behind  the  scenes  as  a  sort  of  understudy." 

They  had  just  finished  dinner  and  were  dawdling 
pleasantly  over  coffee  and  cigarettes  in  the  soothing 
atmosphere  of  the  Cafe  Bruges.  They  had  chosen 
that  discreet  but  excellent  little  restaurant  as  the  one 
in  which  they  were  least  likely  to  run  across  incon- 
venient acquaintances,  since  its  clientele  consists  al- 
most entirely  of  Board  of  Trade  officials,  who  take 
little  interest  in  anything  outside  of  their  own  absorb- 
ing profession.  Compared  with  these  deserving  but 
sombre  people  Isabel  looked  very  young  and  charm- 
ing. The  strained,  hunted  look  had  quite  gone  out 
of  her  face,  and  in  the  softly  shaded  light  her  amber 
eyes  shone  with  a  contented  happiness  that  Tony 
found  extremely  attractive. 

"I  think  you  will  find  Aunt  Fanny  real  enough, " 
he  said,  tipping  off  the  end  of  his  cigarette  into  the 
saucer.  "At  least  she  always  seems  amazingly  so  to 
me." 

' '  I  am  sure  we  shall  get  along  together  splendidly,  " 
said  Isabel.  ' '  She  sounds  a  dear  from  what  you  have 
told  me  about  her.  " 

"She  is, "  replied  Tony  with  as  near  an  approach  to 
enthusiasm  as  he  ever  attained.  "She  is  the  most 
complete  and  delightful  aunt  in  the  world.     Fancy 


A  Disturbance  in  Hampstead       257 

an  ordinary  aunt  of  seventy-two  offering  to  come 
with  us  on  the  Betty  /  " 

"I  am  looking  forward  to  it  so  much,"  exclaimed 
Isabel  happily.  ' '  I  love  the  sea.  I  should  like  to  go 
right  round  the  world  and  then  back  again.  " 

Tony  contemplated  her  with  lazy  enjoyment. 
"Well,  there's  nothing  to  stop  us,"  he  said,  "unless 
Aunt  Fanny  or  Guy  object.  I  am  afraid  it's  not 
quite  Guy's  idea  of  a  really  useful  and  intelligent 
employment. " 

"He  is  serious,  "  admitted  Isabel,  "but  he  is  very 
kind.  I  daresay  he  wouldn't  mind  if  I  asked  him 
nicely. " 

"It's  quite  possible,"  said  Tony  gravely.  He 
glanced  at  his  watch.  ' '  We  ought  to  be  getting  along 
to  the  Empire,"  he  added,  "or  we  shall  miss  the 
performing  sea  lions.  I  wouldn't  have  that  happen 
for  anything  in  the  world.  " 

He  paid  the  bill,  and  leaving  the  restaurant  they 
strolled  off  through  the  brightly  lighted  streets  in  the 
direction  of  Leicester  Square.  It  was  a  delightfully 
fine  evening,  and  Isabel,  who  had  insisted  on  walking, 
drank  in  the  varied  scene  with  an  interest  and  en- 
joyment that  would  have  satisfied  Charles  Lamb. 
There  was  a  freshness  and  excitement  about  her 
pleasure  in  it  all  that  spoke  eloquently  of  the  dull 
life  she  must  have  been  forced  to  lead  by  her  guard- 
ian, and  Tony  felt  more  gratified  than  ever  at  his 
remembrance  of  the  heavy  thud  with  which  that 
gentleman  had  rebounded  from  the  sun-baked  soil 

of  Richmond  Park. 
17 


258         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

It  cannot  justly  be  said  that  the  Empire  pro- 
gramme contained  any  very  refreshing  novelties, 
but  Isabel's  enthusiasm  was  contagious.  Tony 
found  himself  applauding  the  sea  lions  and  the  latest 
half  naked  dancer  with  generous  if  indiscriminating 
heartiness,  while  the  jests  of  a  certain  comedian  took 
on  a  delicate  freshness  that  they  had  not  known  since 
the  earliest  years  of  the  century. 

It  was  not  until  the  orchestra  had  completed 
their  somewhat  hasty  rendering  of  God  Save  the  King, 
that  Isabel,  with  a  little  sigh  of  satisfaction,  expressed 
herself  ready  to  depart.  They  strolled  down  to- 
gether to  the  R.A.C.  Garage  where  Tony  had  left 
the  car,  and  in  a  few  minutes  they  were  picking  their 
way  through  the  still  crowded  streets  of  the  West 
End  in  the  direction  of  Hampstead. 

From  Tottenham  Court  Road  they  had  a  beautiful 
clear  run  home,  the  Hispano  sweeping  up  Haverstock 
Hill  with  that  effortless  rhythm  that  only  a  perfectly 
tuned-up  car  can  achieve.  They  rounded  the  quiet 
deserted  corner  of  Latimer  Lane,  and  gliding  gently 
along  in  the  shadow  of  the  trees,  pulled  up  noiselessly 
outside  Mrs.  Spalding's  house. 

"Hullo,"  said  Tony.  "Somebody  else  has  been 
dissipating  too." 

He  pointed  up  the  road  to  where  about  thirty 
yards  ahead,  the  tail-light  of  another  car  could  be 
seen  outside  one  of  the  houses. 

Isabel  laughed  with  a  kind  of  soft  happiness.  "I 
hope  they  have  had  as  nice  an  evening  as  we  have, " 
she  observed  generously. 


A  Disturbance  in  Hampstead       259 

Pulling  her  skirt  round  her,  she  stepped  lightly  out 
of  the  car,  and  having  switched  off  the  engine,  Tony 
followed  suit. 

"I  will  just  come  in  and  see  that  everything's 
right,"  he  said.  "I  told  Bugg  that  we  should  be 
back  about  eleven-thirty. " 

He  moved  towards  the  gate  which  was  in  deep 
shadow  and  laid  his  hand  upon  the  latch.  As  he 
did  so  there  was  the  faintest  possible  rustle  in 
the  darkness  beside  him.  With  amazing  swiftness 
he  wheeled  round  in  the  direction  of  the  sound, 
but  even  so  he  was  just  too  late.  A  savage  blow 
in  the  mouth  sent  him  staggering  back  against 
the  gate-post  and  then  before  he  could  recover 
a  figure  leapt  out  on  him  with  the  swiftness 
of  a  panther,  and  clutched  him  viciously  around 
the  body.  At  the  same  instant  a  second  man 
sprang  out  from  the  gloom,  and  snatched  up  Isabel 
in  his  arms. 

Half  dazed  as  he  was  by  the  blow,  Tony  struggled 
fiercely  with  his  unknown  assailant.  Swaying  and 
straining  they  crashed  backwards  together  into  the 
garden  gate,  and  the  suffocating  grip  round  his  waist 
momentarily  slackened. 

"Bugg!"  he  roared  at  the  top  of  his  voice. 
* '  Bugg !  ! "  In  the  darkness  a  hand  seized  him  by  the 
throat,  but  with  a  tremendous  effort  he  managed  to 
shake  it  off,  and  jerking  his  head  forward  brought 
the  top  of  his  forehead  in  violent  contact  with  the 
bridge  of  his  assailant's  nose.  A  yelp  of  agony 
went  up  into  the  night,  and  at  the  same  instant  a 


26o         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

swift  patter  of  footsteps  could  be  heard  hurrying 
down  the  garden  path. 

Either  this  sound  or  else  the  pain  of  the  blow 
seemed  to  have  a  disturbing  effect  upon  the  stranger, 
for  once  again  his  grip  loosened  and  with  a  final 
effort  Tony  tore  himself  free.  He  was  panting  for 
breath,  and  the  blood  was  trickling  from  his  cut  lips, 
but  his  only  thought  wals  for  Isabel's  safety.  Thirty 
yards  away  in  the  gleam  of  his  own  headlights  he 
could  see  a  furious  scuffle  taking  place  outside  the 
other  car.  With  a  shout  of  encouragement  he  hurled 
himself  to  the  rescue,  and  even  as  he  did  so  the  quick 
sharp  sound  of  a  pistol  rang  out  like  the  crack  of  a 
whip.  The  struggling  mass  broke  up  into  two 
figures — one  of  which  reeled  against  the  car  with 
his  hands  to  its  head,  while  the  other — Isabel 
herself — staggered  back  feebly  in  the  opposite 
direction.  Tony  flung  his  last  available  ounce 
of  energy  into  a  supreme  effort,  but  the  distance 
was  too  great  to  cover  in  the  time.  Just  as  he 
reached  the  spot  there  came  the  grinding  clang 
of  a  clutch  being  hastily  thrust  in,  and  the  car 
jerked  off  up  the  road  with  the  door  swinging  loose 
upon  its  hinges. 

For  a  moment  both  he  and  Isabel  were  too  ex- 
hausted to  speak.  Panting  and  trembling  she  climg 
to  his  shoulder,  the  little  smoking  pistol  still  clutched 
tightly  in  her  hand. 

Tony  was  the  first  to  recover  his  breath. 

"Well  done,  Isabel, "  he  gasped. 

She  looked  up  at  him,  her  breast  rising  and  falling 


A  Disturbance  in  Hampstead       261 

quickly,  and  her  brown  eyes  full  of  a  sort  of  passion- 
ate concern. 

"Oh,  Tony,  "  she  said,  "you're  hurt.  Your  face  is 
all  covered  with  blood.  " 

Tony  pulled  out  his  handkerchief  and  dabbed  it 
against  his  lips.  ' '  It's  nothing, "  he  said  cheerfully, 
"nothing  at  all.  I  bleed  very  easily  if  any  one  hits 
me  in  the  mouth.  All  really  well  bred  people  do. " 
He  bent  down  and  took  the  little  pistol  out  of  her 
hand.  "Who  was  the  gentleman  you  shot?"  he 
asked. 

Isabel  shook  her  head.  "I  don't  know.  I  have 
never  seen  him  before.  He  was  a  rough,  common 
man  with  a  red  face.  " 

"He  ought  to  die  all  right  anyhow,"  said  Tony 
hopefully.  "It  was  nothing  like  the  ten  yards,  and 
Harrod  is  very  reliable  as  a  rule. " 

"I'm  afraid  he  won't,"  said  Isabel  in  a  rather 
depressed  voice.  "I  aimed  at  his  head,  but  he 
ducked  and  I  think  I  only  shot  his  ear  off, " 

"  Well,  we  won't  bother  to  look  for  it,  "  said  Tony. 
"I  don't  suppose  it  was  a  particularly  nice  one." 
He  turned  and  glanced  down  the  road.  "Hullo,'' 
he  added,  "here  comes  Bugg!  I  wonder  what  he's 
done  with  the  other  chap.  " 

With  an  anxious  expression  upon  his  face,  the 
faithful  "Tiger"  was  hurrying  aiiong  the  pavement 
towards  them,  moving  with  that  swift  cat-like  tread 
that  stamps  the  well -trained  athlete.  He  pulled  up 
with  a  sigh  of  relief  on  seeing  that  they  were  both 
apparently  safe. 


262        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"Sorry  I  was  so  long  comin',  Sir  Ant'ny,"  he  ob- 
served. "I  didn't  'ear  nothin' — not  till  you  shouts 
'Bu^g.'" 

"I  didn't  notice  any  appreciable  delay,"  replied 
Tony  kindly.  "Who  was  our  little  friend  at  the 
gate?" 

Bugg's  face  hardened  into  the  somewhat  grim 
expression  it  generally  wore  in  the  ring.  * '  It  was  that 
swine  Lopez — beggin'  your  pardon,  miss.  But  it  was 
'im  all  right,  sir:  there  ain't  no  error  abaht  that." 

Tony's  damaged  lips  framed  themselves  into  a  low 
whistle.  ' '  Lopez,  was  it ! "  he  said  softly.  ' '  I  ought 
to  have  guessed.  There  was  a  touch  of  the  expert 
about  that  punch. " 

'"E  ain't  'urt  yer,  'as  'e,  sir?"  demanded  Bugg 
anxiously. 

"Oh,  no, "  said  Tony,  "but  he  had  a  very  praise- 
worthy try. " 

Bugg  chuckled.  "You  done  it  on  Hm  proper,  sir. 
I  seed  'is  face  w'en  'e  come  aht  in  the  lamp-light,  and 
'e  didn't  look  as  if  'e  wanted  no  more.  Any'ow  'e 
wasn't  exac'ly  waitin'  for  it. " 

"Bolted,  I  suppose?"  said  Tony  laconically. 

Bugg  nodded.  "Run  like  a  stag,  sir.  I  didn't 
go  after  'im,  not  far :  I  reckoned  you  might  be  wantin' 
me  'ere." 

"Well,  we'd  better  be  getting  into  the  house," 
said  Tony.  "We  shall  have  some  of  the  neighbours 
out  in  a  minute.  They  are  not  used  to  these  little 
scuffles  in  Hampstead. " 

Even  as  he  spoke  one  of  the  front  gates  clicked. 


A  Disturbance  in  Hampstead       263 

and  an  elderly  gentleman  in  carpet  slippers  and  a 
purple  dressing-gown  appeared  on  the  pavement. 
He  was  clutching  a  poker  in  his  right  hand,  and  he 
seemed  to  be  in  a  state  of  considerable  agitation. 

On  seeing  the  small  group  he  came  to  an  abrupt 
halt,  and  drew  back  his  weapon  ready  for  instant 
action. 

"What  has  happened?"  he  demanded  shrilly.  "I 
insist  upon  knowing  what  has  happened. " 

With  a  disarming  smile  Tony  advanced  towards 
him. 

"How  do  you  do?"  he  said  pleasantly.  "I  am 
Sir  Antony  Conway  of  Goodman's  Rest.  " 

The  elderly  gentleman's  harassed  face  changed  at 
once  to  that  affable  expression  which  all  respectable 
Englishmen  assume  in  the  presence  of  rank  and 
wealth. 

"Indeed — indeed,  sir,"  he  observed.  "I  am 
delighted  to  meet  you.  Perhaps  you  can  inform  me 
what  has  occurred.  I  was  aroused  from  my  sleep 
by  the  sound  of  firearms — firearms  in  Hampstead — 
sir!" 

"I  know,"  said  Tony;  "it's  disgraceful,  isn't  it — 
considering  the  rates  we  have  to  pay?"  He  made 
a  gesture  towards  the  car.  "I  am  afraid  I  can'f 
tell  you  very  much.  I  was  driving  my  cousin  back 
from  the  theatre,  and  when  we  pulled  up  we  ran  right 
into  what  looked  like  a  Corsican  vendetta.  I  tried  to 
interfere,  and  somebody  hit  me  in  the  mouth  for  my 
pains.  Then  I  think  they  must  have  heard  you 
coming,  because  they  all  cleared  out  quite  suddenly.  " 


264        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

The  elderly  gentleman  drew  himself  up  into  an 
almost  truculent  attitude. 

"It  is  fortunate  that  I  was  awakened  in  time,  "  he 
said.  "  Had  I  been  a  sound  sleeper — "  He  paused 
as  though  words  were  inadequate  to  convey  the 
catastrophe  that  might  have  ensued.  "All  the 
same,"  he  added  with  true  British  indignation,  "it's 
perfectly  scandalous  that  such  things  should  be 
allowed  to  take  place  in  a  respectable  neighbourhood 
like  this.  I  shall  certainly  complain  to  the  police 
the  first  thing  in  the  morning." 

"Yes,  do, "  said  Tony,  "only  look  here,  I  mustn't 
keep  you  standing  about  any  longer  or  you  will 
be  catching  cold.  That  would  be  a  poor  return  for 
saving  my  life,  wouldn't  it?" 

He  wrung  the  old  gentleman's  hand  warmly,  and 
the  latter,  who  by  this  time  had  apparently  begun  to 
believe  that  he  had  really  achieved  some  desperate 
feat  of  heroism,  strutted  back  up  his  garden  path  with 
the  poker  swinging  fiercely  in  his  hand. 

Tony  turned  to  the  others.  "Come  along,"  he 
said.  "Let's  get  in  before  any  more  of  our  rescuers 
arrive." 

Bugg  had  left  the  front  door  of  Mrs.  Spalding's 
house  open,  and  they  made  their  way  straight  into 
the  little  sitting-room,  where  the  gas  was  burning 
cheerfully,  and  a  tray  of  whisky  and  soda  had  been 
set  out  on  the  table. 

Tony  inspected  the  latter  with  an  approving  eye. 

"You  are  picking  up  the  English  language  very 
quickly,  Isabel,"  he  remarked. 


A  Disturbance  in  Hampstead       265 

She  smiled  happily.  "I  asked  Mrs.  Spalding  to 
get  it  for  me, "  she  said.  "I  know  that  men  like  to 
drink  at  funny  times — at  least  all  father's  friends 
used  to.  "  She  pulled  up  an  easy-chair  to  the  table. 
"Now  you  have  got  to  sit  down  and  help  yourself," 
she  added.  "I  am  going  to  get  some  warm  water 
and  bathe  your  mouth.     It's  dreadfully  cut.  " 

Tony  started  to  protest,  but  she  had  already  left 
the  room,  and  by  the  time  he  had  mixed  and  des- 
patched a  very  welcome  peg,  she  was  back  again  with 
a  small  steaming  basin  and  some  soft  handkerchiefs. 

He  again  attempted  to  raise  some  objection,  but 
with  a  pretty  imperiousness  she  insisted  on  his  lying 
back  in  the  chair.  Then  bending  over  him  she 
tenderly  bathed  and  dried  his  cut  lips,  performing  the 
operation  with  the  gentleness  and  skill  of  a  properly 
trained  nurse. 

"Perhaps  you're  right  after  all  about  the  Royal 
blood,"  he  said,  sitting  up  and  inspecting  himself 
carefully  in  a  hand-glass.  "I  doubt  if  any  genuine 
queen  could  have  so  many  useful  accomplishments.  " 

"I  have  never  been  allowed  to  do  anything  for 
anybody  yet,  "  said  Isabel  contentedly.  "I  have  got 
a  lot  of  lost  time  to  make  up.  " 

Tony  took  her  hands,  which  she  now  surrendered 
to  him  without  any  trace  of  the  slight  embarrass- 
ment that  had  formerly  marked  their  relationship. 

"You  are  only  just  beginning  life,  Isabel,  "  he  said. 
'  *  You  have  all  the  advantage  of  being  bom  suddenly 
at  eighteen.  It's  much  the  nicest  arrangement, 
really,  because  no  intelligent  person  ever  enjoys  their 


266         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

childhood  or  schooldays. "  He  released  her  hands, 
and  glanced  across  at  the  clock  on  the  mantelpiece. 
"It's  time  you  went  to  bed,"  he  added.  "We'll 
talk  about  our  adventure  in  the  morning.  One 
should  always  have  a  good  night's  rest  after  shooting 
off  anybody's  ear.     It  steadies  the  nerves.  " 

"All  right,"  said  Isabel  obediently.  "I  don't 
suppose  they  will  try  again  to-night,  do  you?" 

Tony  shook  his  head.  "No, "  he  replied;  "other- 
wise I  would  stay  here  and  sleep  on  the  mat. "  He 
took  up  his  hat  off  the  table.  "Try  and  get  packed 
by  eleven  if  you  can  manage  it.  I  will  come  round 
and  call  for  you  with  the  Peugot :  your  things  will  just 
go  nicely  into  the  back."  He  paused.  "Good- 
night, Isabel,  dear." 

She  looked  up  at  him  with  that  frank,  trustful 
smile  of  hers. 

"Good-night,  Tony,  dear,  "  she  said. 


It  was  exactly  a  quarter  to  one  the  next  day,  when 
the  second  curate  at  St.  Peter's,  Eaton  Square,  whose 
mind  was  full  of  a  sermon  that  he  was  composing, 
stepped  carelessly  off  the  pavement  into  the  roadway. 
This  rash  act  very  nearly  ended  any  chances  of  his 
becoming  a  bishop,  for  a  large  travel-stained  car  that 
was  coming  along  Holbein  Place  at  a  considerable 
speed,  only  just  swerved  out  of  his  path  by  the  frac- 
tion of  an  inch.  With  an  exclamation  that  sounded 
extraordinarily  like   "dammit"   the  curate  leaped 


A  Disturbance  in  Hampstead       267 

back  on  to  the  pavement,  and  turning  down  Chester 
Square,  the  car  pulled  up  in  front  of  Lady  Jocelyn's. 

Tony  and  Isabel  stepped  out,  and  with  a  certain 
air  of  satisfaction  the  former  glanced  round  the 
comparatively  deserted  landscape. 

"I  think  we  have  baffled  them,  Isabel,"  he  said, 
"unless  that  curate  was  a  spy.  " 

Isabel  laughed.  "He  was  very  nearly  a  corpse," 
she  remarked. 

The  door  of  the  house  opened,  emitting  two  of 
Lady  Jocelyn's  trim  maids,  who  were  evidently 
expecting  their  arrival.  Tony  assisted  them  to 
collect  the  luggage  and  carry  it  into  the  house,  and 
then  following  one  of  them  upstairs,  he  and  Isabel 
were  ushered  into  the  drawing-room,  where  Lady 
Jocelyn  was  waiting  to  receive  them. 

"This  is  Isabel,  Aunt  Fanny,  "  he  said. 

Lady  Jocelyn  took  in  the  rightful  Queen  of  Livadia 
with  one  of  her  shrewd,  kindly  glances. 

"My  dear,"  she  said,  "you  are  very  pretty. 
Come  and  sit  down.  " 

Isabel,  smiling  happily,  seated  herself  on  the  sofa 
beside  her  hostess,  while  Tony  established  himself 
on  the  hearth-rug  in  front  of  the  fireplace. 

"She  is  an  improved  edition  of  Molly  Monk,"  he 
observed  contentedly;  "and  Molly  is  supposed  to  be 
one  of  the  prettiest  girls  in  London. " 

"You  ought  to  be  nice-looking,"  said  Lady  Jocelyn, 
patting  Isabel's  hand.  "Your  father  was  a  splen- 
didly handsome  man  before  he  took  to  drink.  I 
remember  the  portraits  of  him  they  used  to  stick  up 


268         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

in  Portriga,  whenever  Pedro's  father  was  more  than 
usually  unpopular."  She  turned  to  Tony.  "I  am 
thankful  that  you  have  got  her  here  safely,"  she 
added.  ' '  I  stayed  awake  quite  a  long  time  last  night 
wondering  if  you  were  having  your  throats  cut.  " 

Tony  laughed.  "No,"  he  said;  "it  was  only  my 
lip,  and  Isabel  patched  it  up  very  nicely. " 

Lady  Jocelyn  put  on  her  tortoise-shell  spectacles, 
and  inspected  him  gently. 

"My  dear  Tony,"  she  said,  "now  I  come  to  look 
at  you  I  can  see  that  you  are  a  little  out  of  drawing. 
I  was  so  interested  in  Isabel  I  never  noticed  it  be- 
fore." 

"It's  only  temporary,"  said  Tony.  "My  beauty 
will  return."  He  glanced  at  the  clock,  and  then 
pulled  up  an  easy-chair.  ' '  I  will  tell  you  the  whole 
story  if  you  like,  Aunt  Fanny.  There  is  just  time 
before  lunch,  and  it  always  gives  me  an  appetite  to 
talk  about  myself. " 

Lady  Jocelyn  nodded.  "Go  on,  Tony,"  she  said, 
encouragingly.  "We  have  plenty  of  food  in  the 
house. " 

There  is  something  rather  effective  about  a  really 
incongruous  atmosphere,  and  described  the  next 
morning,  with  the  solid  respectability  of  Chester 
Square  as  a  background,  the  midnight  battle  of 
Latimer  Lane  seemed  to  gain  rather  than  lose  in 
vividness.  Tony  told  it  with  what  for  him  was  a 
really  praiseworthy  restraint  and  directness,  and  he 
had  just  got  to  the  end  when  the  door  opened  and  the 
parlour-maid  announced  that  lunch  was  ready. 


A  Disturbance  in  Hampstead       269 

Lady  Jocelyn  rose  from  the  sofa.  "Let  us  go 
and  have  something  to  eat,"  she  said.  "I  feel 
absolutely  in  need  of  support.  Your  society  has 
always  been  stimulating,  Tony;  but  since  you  have 
adopted  a  profession  I  find  it  almost  overwhelming." 

She  put  her  arm  through  Isabel's,  and  they  made 
their  way  down  to  the  dining-room  where  a  dainty 
little  lunch  was  waiting  their  attention.  For  a  few 
minutes  the  conversation  took  a  briskly  gastronomic 
trend,  and  then,  having  dismissed  the  parlour-maid 
Lady  Jocelyn  turned  to  Tony. 

"You  can  go  on,"  she  said.  "I  feel  stronger 
now. " 

"I  don't  know  that  there's  very  much  more  to 
tell,"  said  Tony.  "I  had  to  explain  it  all  to  Guy 
who  was  very  hard  and  unsympathetic.  He  said  it 
served  me  right  for  taking  Isabel  to  the  Empire,  and 
that  it  was  only  through  the  mercy  of  Heaven  we  were 
both  not  wanted  for  murder.  I  think  he  must  have 
meant  Harrod,  but  he  said  Heaven. " 

"They  are  not  at  all  alive,  "  replied  Lady  Jocelyn, 
"at  least  I  hope  not.  I  should  hate  to  spend  eternity 
in  Harrod's. ' '  She  paused.  ' '  I  wonder  if  there  is  any 
chance  of  your  having  been  followed  this  morning?" 

"I  don't  think  so, "  said  Tony.  "They  probably 
watched  us  start,  but  I  took  a  little  tour  round 
Bamet  and  Hertford  before  coming  here.  We 
didn't  see  any  one  following  us — did  we,  Isabel?" 

Isabel  shook  her  head.  ' '  I  don't  think  Da  Freitas 
would  try, "  she  said,  "not  if  he  has  seen  you  drive. 
He  never  wastes  his  time  upon  impossibilities.  " 


270         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Lady  Jocelyn  laughed.  "My  dear,"  she  said 
gently;  "you  mustn't  make  jokes  if  you  want  to  be 
taken  for  a  genuine  queen.  Joking  went  out  of 
fashion  with  Charles  the  Second.  Nowadays  no 
Royalty  has  any  sense  of  humour ;  indeed  in  Germany 
it's  regarded  as  a  legal  bar  to  the  throne."  She 
turned  back  to  Tony.  "Have  you  heard  from  your 
captain  yet?" 

Tony  nodded.  "I  had  a  wire  this  morning.  He 
says  the  Betty  can  be  ready  for  sea  any  time  after 
Thursday. " 

"That's  the  best  of  being  a  ship, "  observed  Lady 
Jocelyn  a  little  enviously.  ' '  One  has  only  to  paint 
oneself  and  take  in  some  food  and  one's  ready  to  go 
anywhere.  I  have  to  buy  clothes,  and  make  my  will, 
and  invent  some  story  that  will  satisfy  my  brother-in- 
law  the  Dean.  I  promised  to  go  and  stay  with  him 
next  month:  and  it  will  have  to  be  a  good  story, 
because  Deans  are  rather  clever  at  that  sort  of  thing 
themselves. " 

"I  think  it's  so  kind  of  you  to  come  with  us," 
observed  Isabel  simply. 

"My  dear,"  said  Lady  Jocelyn,  "I  couldn't 
possibly  allow  you  to  go  away  alone  on  the  Betty 
with  Tony  and  Guy.  It  would  be  so  bad  for  the 
morals  of  the  captain."  She  pressed  the  electric 
bell.  "  By  the  way,  Tony — is  Guy  coming,  and 
have  you  decided  yet  where  you  are  going  to  take 
us?" 

"Guy's  coming  all  right,  "  replied  Tony.  "He  has 
gone  to  the  Stores  this   morning  to  look  through 


A  Disturbance  in  Hampstead       271 

their  patent  life-saving  waistcoats."  He  helped 
himself  to  a  glass  of  Hock.  ' '  I  thought  we  might  try- 
Buenos  Ayres,  Aunt  Fanny.  It's  just  the  right  time 
of  year. ' ' 

"I  have  no  objection,"  said  Lady  Jocelyn.  "I 
don't  know  much  about  it  except  that  you  pronounce 
it  wrong,  Tony. " 

"It's  quite  a  nice  place,  I  believe,"  said  Tony. 
"They  buy  all  our  best  race-horses.  " 

There  was  a  brief  interval  while  the  parlour-maid, 
who  had  just  come  in,  cleared  away  their  plates, 
and  presented  them  with  a  fresh  course. 

"I  haven't  a  great  number  of  race-horses  to  dis- 
pose of, "  observed  Lady  Jocelyn,  when  the  girl  had 
again  withdrawn,  "but  all  the  same  I  shall  be  very 
pleased  to  go  to  Buenos  Ayres.  When  do  you  pro- 
pose to  start?" 

"Whenever  you  like,  "  said  Tony  generously. 

Lady  Jocelyn  reflected  for  a  moment.  "I  think  I 
could  be  ready  by  to-day  week.  We  oughtn't  to  be 
longer  than  we  can  help  or  Da  Freitas  may  find  out 
where  you  have  hidden  Isabel.  " 

"To-day  week  it  shall  be,"  said  Tony.  "I  will 
send  Simmons  a  wire  to  have  everything  ready,  and 
then  we  can  all  motor  down  in  the  Rolls  and  start 
straight  away. " 

"And  in  the  meantime, "  observed  Lady  Jocelyn, 
' '  I  think  it  would  be  wiser  if  you  didn't  come  here  at 
all,  Tony.  They  are  sure  to  keep  a  pretty  close  eye 
on  you,  and  you  might  be  followed  in  spite  of  all  your 
precautions.     I  am  not  nervous,  but  we  don't  want 


2^2         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

to  have  Isabel  shooting  people  on  the  doorstep.  It 
would  upset  the  maids  so.  " 

' '  I  expect  you're  right,  Aunt  Fanny,  "  said  Tony  a 
little  sadly,  "but  it  will  be  very  unpleasant.  I  have 
got  used  to  Isabel  now,  and  I  hate  changing  my 
habits." 

"It  will  be  quite  good  for  you,"  returned  Lady 
Jocelyn  firmly.  "You  are  so  accustomed  to  having 
everything  you  want  in  life  it  must  become  positively 
monotonous."  She  turned  to  Isabel.  "You  can 
always  talk  to  Tony  on  the  telephone,  you  know, 
when  you  get  bored  with  an  old  woman's  society.  " 

Isabel  smiled.  "I  don't  think  I  shall  wait  for 
that, "  she  said,  "or  we  might  never  talk  at  all.  " 


CHAPTER  XV 

IMPENDING  EVENTS 

"There's  a  letter  for  you,"  said  Guy,  "from 
Livadia. " 

Tony  walked  to  his  place  at  the  breakfast  table 
and  picked  up  the  missive  in  question  which  was 
propped  against  the  Times  beside  his  plate. 

"It's  from  Jimmy,"  he  observed  tranquilly. 
"How  exciting!" 

He  opened  the  envelope  and  took  out  the  contents 
— a  large  sheet  of  thin  paper  covered  on  both  sides 
with  a  small  neat  handwriting.  Sitting  down  in  his 
chair  he  spread  it  out  in  front  of  him. 

Garage  Anglais, 
Praca  D.  Porto. 
Portriga. 

My  Dear  Tony: 

It  was  very  nice  and  unexpected  of  you  to  answer  my 
letter — especially  within  three  months  of  your  having 
received  it.  You  must  be  getting  quite  energetic  in  your 
old  age,  or  is  it  only  due  to  the  influence  of  "the  young 
and  beautiful  friend  who  takes  a  morbid  interest  in 
Livadian  politics?"  Anyhow,  it's  comforting  to  know 
that  you're  still  alive,  and  that  you  still  have  young  and 
18  273 


274         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

beautiful  friends.  I  was  half  afraid  that  I  was  the  last  of 
them. 

Now  with  regard  to  your  questions.  The  only  thing 
that  seems  pretty  certain  about  the  future  here  is  that 
there's  going  to  be  a  Hell  of  a  dust  up  before  long.  It's 
an  open  secret  that  the  Royalists  are  plotting  all  over 
the  place,  and  that  they've  got  a  good  part  of  the  officers 
in  the  army  with  them.  Down  in  the  south,  however, 
there  seems  to  be  a  strong  party  that's  in  favour  of  the 
other  branch — the  descendants  of  that  drunken  scoundrel 
Don  Francisco — whoever  they  happen  to  be.  Personally 
I  can't  say  I  take  much  interest  in  any  of  them.  Apart 
from  my  garage,  I  think  the  best  thing  for  Europe  would 
be  if  the  whole  damn  lot  cut  each  other's  throats.  I 
except  the  old  President,  who  is  not  half  a  bad  sort — and 
has  a  very  pretty  taste  in  cigars  and  champagne.  He  is 
all  right,  however,  because  I  know  he  has  a  good  parcel 
tucked  away  somewhere,  and  means  to  do  a  bunk 
directly  things  get  too  hot.  If  I  were  you  I  should  tell 
your  young  and  beautiful  friend  to  give  up  taking  an 
interest  in  Livadian  politics  and  start  keeping  rattle- 
snakes.    It's  a  much  more  healthy  and  profitable  hobby. 

I  have  had  one  stroke  of  luck.  I  have  managed  to 
palm  off  my  business  here  on  a  local  syndicate  for  a  couple 
of  thou.,  and  am  now  employed  as  Managing  Director  at 
£500  a  year  and  commission.  ' '  Commission ' '  in  Portriga 
means  whatever  you  can  cheat  out  of  the  customers  or 
steal  from  your  employers.  So  far  I  am  doing  nicely  at 
both,  thank  you,  but  I  don't  expect  it  will  last  long.  An- 
other revolution  of  course  would  bust  us  up  altogether, 
because  the  first  thing  that  would  happen  would  be  that 
both  sides  would  come  down  and  snaffle  our  cars.  So  I 
am  just  making  an  honest  living  while  the  sun  shines, 
and  leaving  the  rest  to  Prov. 


Impending  Events  275 

You  are  three  sorts  of  a  brick  to  think  out  that  job  in 
Piccadilly,  but  as  it  stands  it's  rather  too  one-sided  an 
arrangement.  I  couldn't  take  it  unless  I  was  in  a  posi- 
tion to  shove  in  a  little  of  my  own  money  too.  Practi- 
cally all  I've  got  at  present  would  have  to  go  to  my  dear 
creditors,  who  have  been  so  patient  and  long-suffering — 
I  don't  think! — God  bless  'em.  If  you  will  keep  it  open 
for  say,  another  year — by  which  time  I  ought  to  have 
swindled  the  Garage  Anglais  out  of  quite  a  decent  simi — I 
shall  be  only  too  delighted  to  come  back  and  wipe  the 
floor  with  you  at  billiards  as  often  as  you  like.  Your 
notion  that  you  can  beat  me  is  one  of  the  most  pathetic 
instances  of  monomania  I  ever  came  across. 

Remember  me  to  Guy,  who  I  suppose  is  as  frivolous  as 
ever,  and  give  my  love  to  any  of  the  old  crowd  who  are 
still  knocking  around. 

Yours  ever, 

Jimmy. 

Given  from  our  place  of  hiding  this  third  day  of  the 
fifth  month  in  the  second  year  of  our  exile. 

Tony  read  this  letter  through  and  then  tossed  it 
across  to  Guy,  who  perused  it  in  turn  between 
mouthfuls  of  egg  and  bacon. 

'  His  troubles  don't  seem  to  have  sobered  him  down 
at  all, "  he  observed  rather  disapprovingly. 

"I  hope  not,"  said  Tony.  "A  sobered  down 
Jimmy  would  be  a  lamentable  object — something  like 
an  archangel  with  his  wings  clipped. " 

"What  he  says  is  true  enough,  I  suppose,"  pur- 
sued Guy.  "At  least  it  only  confirms  what  Con- 
gosta  told  us. " 


276         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Tony  nodded.  "Things  are  on  the  move  all 
right, ' '  he  remarked  complacently.  ' '  I  am  pretty  sure 
Da  Freitas  meant  to  press  the  button  just  as  soon 
as  the  wedding  was  over.  He  must  be  tearing  his 
back  hair  over  this  hitch  in  the  programme.  " 

"I  am  glad  we  have  got  Isabel  away  from  the 
Spaldings, "  observed  Guy,  handing  back  the  letter, 
"I  shan't  feel  really  easy  in  my  mind  though,  until 
she  is  on  board  the  Betty.  " 

"Well,  it  won't  be  long  now,"  said  Tony,  "and 
anyway  she  is  pretty  safe  at  Chester  Square.  Aunt 
Fanny  is  keeping  her  tight  to  the  house,  and  so  far 
they  haven't  seen  a  sign  of  any  one  hanging  about.  I 
really  think  we  handed  'em  the  dummy  all  right, 
though  it  doesn't  do  to  be  too  sure  about  things 
with  a  gentleman  like  Da  Freitas.  " 

"I  wish  we  had  some  idea  what  he  was  up  to," 
said  Guy.  "There  is  something  very  trying  about 
this  uncertainty. " 

"I  have  hopes  of  Molly,"  replied  Tony,  pouring 
himself  out  a  second  cup  of  tea  in  an  absent-minded 
fashion.  "She  rang  me  up  yesterday  while  I  was 
out,  and  left  a  message  that  I  was  to  come  and  see 
her  this  morning  without  fail.  "  He  took  a  medita- 
tive sip,  and  then  set  down  the  cup.  "It's  about 
time  we  heard  something  from  Congosta  too,"  he 
added. 

Guy  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "I  shouldn't  put 
any  faith  in  him.  He  is  probably  playing  his  own 
game  just  as  much  as  Da  Freitas  is. " 

Tony  looked  at  him  sadly.     ' '  You  get  more  cynical 


Impending  Events  277 

every  day,  Guy.  I  believe  in  Congosta.  No  man 
could  have  such  a  beautiful  faith  in  the  British 
Aristocracy  unless  there  was  some  good  in  him." 
He  pushed  back  his  chair  and  rose  from  the  table. 
"I'm  off  to  see  Molly  anyway, "  he  added.  "I've  a 
feeling  that  she  has  something  exciting  to  tell  us, 
and  a  certain  amount  of  excitement  has  become 
necessary  to  my  system.  I  can't  get  my  afternoon 
sleep  without  it. " 

"I  wish  you  would  try  to  be  a  little  more  serious,  " 
answered  Guy  in  a  fretful  voice. 

Tony  paused  at  the  door.  "I  do  try,"  he  said 
apologetically,  "but  it's  very  difficult  for  a  be- 
ginner. " 

It  was  just  a  quarter  past  ten  when  Tony  arrived 
outside  Basil  Mansions,  the  big  block  of  fiats  where 
Molly  lived.  He  caught  sight  of  a  clock  as  he 
pulled  up  the  car,  and  it  suddenly  struck  him  that  in 
spite  of  the  urgency  of  Molly's  message,  it  was  still 
rather  early  to  disturb  her  slumbers.  He  hesitated 
for  a  moment,  and  then  decided  to  fill  in  a  little  time 
by  motoring  on  to  the  R.A.C.  and  calling  for  his 
letters. 

Amongst  the  several  clubs  to  which  he  belonged  the 
latter  was  the  one  at  which  he  was  accustomed  to 
receive  the  largest  number  of  communications.  The 
majority  of  them  were  trade  circulars  from  motor 
firms,  and  it  was  his  custom  to  drop  in  at  least  twice 
a  week  and  commit  them  to  the  hall  porter's  waste- 
paper  basket. 

Putting  in  his  clutch  he  continued  his  journey. 


278         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

and  was  just  rounding  the  corner  of  Pall  Mall,  when 
he  suddenly  became  aware  of  the  immaculately 
dressed  figure  of  his  cousin  Henry  striding  briskly 
along  the  pavement  towards  him  in  the  direction  of 
Whitehall.  The  encounter  was  too  sudden  to  admit 
of  any  strategy,  so  with  a  graceful  resignation  to 
fate  he  brought  the  car  to  a  halt. 

Henry  came  up  with  a  look  of  surprise  upon  his 
face. 

"One  doesn't  often  see  you  about  as  early  as  this,  " 
he  observed. 

"You  will  in  future,  "  said  Tony.  'T  have  turned 
over  a  new  leaf.  I  find  that  all  our  successful  states- 
men have  been  early  risers.  " 

'T  am  pleased  to  hear  it,"  said  Henry  heartily. 
"I  always  thought  that  if  you  ever  took  up  politics 
it  would  make  all  the  difference  to  you.  " 

"It  has,"  said  Tony. 

There  was  a  short  pause. 

* '  Did  you  get  that  White  Book  about  the  Patagonia 
boundary  dispute?"  inquired  his  cousin. 

Tony  nodded.  "  I  did,  "  he  said.  ' '  I  haven't  had 
time  to  read  it  all  yet,  but  it  seems  most  interesting. 
Such  good  print  too.  " 

"They  get  them  up  very  well,"  said  Henry.  "I 
will  send  you  round  some  more  as  soon  as  you  have 
gone  through  that.  There  is  nothing  like  a  thorough 
grounding  before  you  start  work." 

"I  wish  you  would,"  replied  Tony.  "I  was  half 
thinking  of  running  across  to  South  America  in  the 
Betty  with  Guy,  and  looking  into  things  myself  for  a 


Impending  Events  279 

few  weeks.  I  should  like  to  have  some  nice  interest- 
ing reading  for  the  voyage. ' ' 

Henry  looked  at  him  in  surprised  approval.  "I 
think  that's  a  very  good  idea,"  he  said.  "Laura  will 
be  extremely  pleased  when  I  tell  her,  because  it  shows 
that  you  are  taking  the  matter  seriously. ' '  He  pulled 
out  a  little  tablet  from  his  waistcoat  pocket  and  made 
a  note  in  pencil.  "I  will  see  if  I  can  get  you  a  few 
letters  of  introduction  to  some  of  our  people  over 
there.  I  shall  say  of  course  that  you  are  just  taking 
a  voyage  for  your  health. ' ' 

"That's  about  right,"  said  Tony.  "Thanks  so 
much.  I  must  be  trotting  now,  or  I  shall  be  late  for 
an  appointment. " 

He  waved  a  good-bye  and  started  off  the  car  again, 
while  Henry,  putting  back  his  memorandum  tablet, 
continued  his*  way  to  the  Home  Office. 

Half  an  hour  later,  having  disposed  of  the  motor 
circulars  and  having  restored  his  energies  with  a 
brandy  and  soda,  Tony  set  out  again  for  Basil  Man- 
sions. It  was  still  only  eleven  o'clock,  but  Claudine, 
who  answered  the  bell,  informed  him  that  Molly  was 
already  up  and  awaiting  his  arrival  in  the  drawing- 
room. 

He  found  her  as  usual  sitting  at  the  piano,  practis- 
ing over  a  song.  She  spun  round  on  the  stool  at  his 
entrance,  and  then  jumped  up  with  both  her  hands 
outstretched. 

"Oh,  Tony, "  she  exclaimed,  "I  am  so  glad  you 
have  come. " 

He  waited  until  Claudine  had  closed  the  door, 


28o         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

and  then   kissed  her  carefully  on  the  curve  of  her 
cheek. 

"I  should  have  been  here  long  before,  Molly,  "  he 
said,  "but  I  was  afraid  of  waking  you  up.  A  good 
night's  rest  is  so  essential  to  brain-workers. " 

' '  I  have  been  up  ages, ' '  she  replied,  ' '  I  can  never 
sleep  when  I  am  excited  or  worried — at  least  not 
after  nine  o'clock. " 

"What's  worrying  you?"  he  asked,  settling  him- 
self on  the  sofa. 

She  sat  down  beside  him.  ' '  It's  Peter, ' '  she  said. 
"He  was  here  yesterday — yesterday  afternoon.  I 
rang  you  up  directly  he  had  gone.  " 

"Well? "  inquired  Tony. 

Molly  took  a  deep  breath.  "He  had  come  to  say 
good-bye. " 

Tony  sat  up.     "  What  ? "  he  demanded. 

Molly  nodded  her  head.  "He  didn't  admit  it  in 
so  many  words,  but  that's  what  it  came  to.  " 

There  was  a  short  pause. 

' '  He  must  have  more  nerve  than  I  gave  him  credit 
for,  "  said  Tony  slowly. 

"Oh,  I  don't  mean  good-bye  altogether,"  said 
Molly  with  a  little  laugh.  "That  isn't  Peter's  idea 
at  all. "  She  jumped  up  from  the  sofa,  and  crossing 
to  the  writing-table  in  the  comer  opened  the  drawer 
and  took  out  something  from  inside.  "Look  at 
this, "  she  said. 

"This,"  was  a  half  sheet  of  stiff  note-paper 
stamped  in  gold  with  the  Royal  Livadian  arms,  and 
bearing  two  or  three  straggling  lines  of  writing,  at 


Impending  Events  281 

the   bottom    of   which    sprawled    a   large   irregular 
signature. 


Tony  examined  it  with  interest.  "It  looks  very 
impressive,  "  he  said.     "What's  it  all  about?" 

"It's  a  sort  of  pass,  "  said  Molly  calmly,  "like  one 
gets  for  a  theatre,  you  know.  It  means  'do  what- 
ever the  bearer  wishes  without  asking  any  ques- 
tions.'" She  took  it  back  from  him  and  slipped 
it  into  the  envelope  which  she  was  holding  in  her 
hand.  "That  would  take  me  anywhere  I  pleased 
in  Livadia  if  Peter  was  king.  " 

"But  what's  the  good  of  it  now?"  asked  Tony. 
"Why  has  he  given  it  you  ? ' ' 

Molly  crossed  to  the  writing-table,  and  putting 
the  envelope  back,  shut  the  door  and  locked  it. 

"I  will  tell  you  exactly  what  happened,  "  she  said, 
coming  back  and  re-seating  herself  on  the  sofa. 
"Peter  rolled  up  here  about  five  o'clock  yesterday 
in  a  taxi — not  in  his  car — just  in  an  ordinary  taxi. 
I  guessed  there  was  trouble  because  when  he  does 
that  it  always  means  that  he  doesn't  want  Da  Freitas 
to  find  out  where  he's  been.  Well,  I  gave  him  a 
drink,  and  he  sat  and  talked  for  a  bit  in  his  ordinary 
way,  but  all  the  time  I  could  see  that  there  was  some- 


282         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

thing  at  the  back  of  his  mind — something  he  didn't 
quite  know  how  to  say.  At  last  he  managed  to  get  it 
out.  He  wanted  to  know  if  I  would  trust  him.  If 
he  had  to  go  away  suddenly,  or  if  anything  happened 
which  made  it  impossible  for  him  to  see  me  for  a 
little  while,  would  I  still  believe  that  I  was  the  only 
person  in  the  world  he  really  cared  about?  I  pre- 
tended to  be  very  surprised  and  asked  what  he 
expected  to  happen,  but  he  wouldn't  admit  that 
there  was  anything  definite  or  certain.  He  talked 
vaguely  about  a  king  not  being  his  own  master,  and 
that  he  never  knew  from  day  to  day  when  a  revolu- 
tion mightn't  break  out  in  Livadia  and  that  if  it  did 
his  place  would  be  at  the  head  of  his  people.  Of 
course  coming  from  Peter  it  was  all  the  silliest  sort 
of  poppycock,  and  any  one  who  wasn't  a  born  idiot 
could  have  seen  that  he  was  keeping  something  back. 
However,  I  let  him  think  that  I  swallowed  it  all, 
and  after  a  bit  he  lugged  out  this  paper  and  explained 
what  it  was.  He  said  that  if  by  any  chance  he  Vv^as 
called  away  to  Livadia  quite  suddenly,  the  first  thing 
he  should  do,  as  soon  as  it  was  possible,  would  be  to 
send  for  me.  He  wanted  me  to  promise  that  no 
matter  what  had  happened  I  would  come  out  right 
away.  I  saw  that  he  was  in  dead  earnest  and  fright- 
fully excited  about  it,  so  of  course  I  said  I  would,  and 
that  seemed  to  quiet  him  down.  Anyhow,  he  didn't 
talk  any  more  about  it,  but  I'm  as  certain  as  I  am  that 
I'm  sitting  here  that  something's  going  to  happen, 
Tony,  and  damn  soon  too.  You  see  I  know  Peter 
so  jolly  well.  " 


Impending  Events  283 

"It  looks  precious  like  it, "  agreed  Tony  thought- 
fully. "I  shouldn't  wonder  if  Da  Freitas  had 
changed  his  plans.  Perhaps  the  battle  of  Latimer 
Lane  has  shaken  his  nerve,  and  he  means  to  cut  out 
the  Isabel  part  of  the  programme  and  go  straight 
ahead. " 

"The  battle  of  what?"  demanded  Molly. 

"Oh,  I  forgot  you  didn't  know  about  it,"  said 
Tony.  ' '  We  have  been  having  all  sorts  of  quiet  fun 
of  our  own  up  at  Hampstead. "  He  paused  for  a 
moment  to  light  himself  a  cigarette.  "There's 
Jimmy's  letter  too,  "  he  added;  "only  I  think  I  had 
better  begin  by  telling  you  about  the  battle.  There's 
nothing  like  doing  things  in  their  proper  order:  it's 
the  secret  of  all  real  success  in  life." 

"Drive  ahead,  "  said  Molly  encouragingly. 

Tony,  who  by  this  time  was  becoming  quite  an 
adept  in  the  narrative,  again  described  the  spirited 
little  scuffle  outside  Mrs.  Spalding's  house,  and  the 
subsequent  transference  of  Isabel  to  the  more  peace- 
ful atmosphere  of  Chester  Square.  He  wound  up 
with  a  brief  account  of  how  Lady  Jocelyn  had  been 
fully  taken  into  their  confidence,  and  of  how  they  had 
decided  on  an  immediate  trip  to  South  America  as 
the  most  promising  solution  to  the  problem. 

"I  suppose  you're  right,  "  observed  Molly  after  a 
meditative  pause.  "If  she  stops  in  London  that  pig 
Da  Freitas  will  get  hold  of  her  sooner  or  later,  but 
I'm  awfully  sorry  you're  going,  Tony.  There  is  no 
one  else  that  I  can  even  talk  to  about  things.  " 

"I  shan't  be  away  so  very  long, "  said  Tony  com- 


284         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

fortingly;  "and  it's  much  the  best  thing  for  you  as 
well  as  for  us.  Even  if  they  go  ahead  with  the 
revolution,  Peter  isn't  likely  to  marry  any  one  else 
at  present.  There  would  be  all  sorts  of  international 
ructions  if  he  tried  to  get  a  wife  from  another  country, 
and  anyway  I  shouldn't  think  the  throne  of  Livadia 
was  a  very  dazzling  prospect  for  a  foreign  princess. 
At  least,  not  according  to  what  Jimmy  says.  " 

"What  does  he  say?"  asked  Molly.  "Can  I  see 
the  letter?" 

Tony  gave  it  her  and,  spreading  it  out  on  her  knee 
she  bent  forward  and  read  it  through  carefully,  her 
nicely  pencilled  eyebrows  drawn  together  in  a 
thoughtful  frown. 

"It's  some  letter,"  she  observed,  when  she  had 
finished,  "but  I  don't  think  it  gets  us  much  further, 
does  it  ?  I  know  the  Livadians  must  be  a  set  of  prize 
chumps  or  they  wouldn't  want  Peter  to  be  their 
king."  She  folded  up  the  sheet  of  paper  and  handed 
it  back  to  him.  "I  should  like  to  meet  Jimmy 
some  day.     He  sounds  all  right.  " 

"He's  a  dear  fellow,  "  said  Tony,  putting  back  the 
letter  in  his  pocket.  "  In  a  way  I  like  him  better  than 
any  one  except  myself.  "  He  got  up  from  the  sofa. 
' '  I  shall  come  and  see  you  again  before  we  go,  Molly, 
he  added.  ' '  I  don't  think  there  is  any  chance  of  our 
sailing  before  next  Tuesday.  Aunt  Fanny  has  got  to 
invent  a  lie  that  will  satisfy  the  Dean  of  Ballingford, 
and  that  can't  be  done  in  a  hurry." 

"Righto,"  replied  Molly;  "and  let  me  know  at 
once  if  anything  happens,  or  if  there's  anything  I 


Impending  Events  285 

can  do  to-  help  you.  You  know  I  don't  care  a  rap 
about  the  theatre:  I  would  chuck  it  like  a  shot  if  it 
was  really  necessary. " 

Tony  took  her  hands.  "You're  the  best  sports- 
man in  London,  Molly, ' '  he  said, ' '  and  it's  a  thousand 
pities  you  can't  be  Queen  of  Livadia.  You'd  make 
a  Hell  of  a  good  job  of  it." 

Molly  laughed  and  shrugged  her  shoulders.  ' '  You 
bet  I  should,"  she  said  crisply.  "One  can't  be  six 
years  in  musical  comedy  without  learning  how  to 
treat  rotters." 


CHAPTER   XVI 

AN   ARTISTIC    FORGERY 

Spalding  drew  back  the  curtains  with  that  slightly 
sacerdotal  gravity  that  distinguished  all  his  profes- 
sional actions,  and  then  turned  towards  Tony. 

"Mr.  Oliver  asked  me  to  inform  you,  sir,  that  he 
will  not  be  having  breakfast  with  you.  He  has  to 
leave  the  house  early  on  business.  " 

Tony  arranged  himself  more  comfortably  amongst 
the  pillows.  "In  that  case,  Spalding,"  he  said, 
' '  I  think  I  shall  break  my  good  resolutions,  and  have 
a  cup  of  tea  up  here.  I  can't  face  the  Times  and  a 
poached  egg  single-handed. " 

"Very  good,  sir, "  observed  Spalding,  and  retiring 
deftly  to  the  lower  regions,  he  returned  in  a  few 
minutes  with  a  tray  containing  the  desired  refresh- 
ment, a  couple  of  letters,  and  a  copy  of  the  Sports- 
man. 

Tony  took  a  sip  of  the  tea,  lighted  himself  a  cigar- 
ette from  the  big  silver  box  beside  his  bed,  and  then 
proceeded  to  investigate  his  correspondence. 

The  first  letter  was  of  a  philanthropic  character. 
It  was  from  a  gentleman  named  Douglas  Gordon, 
apparently  of  Scottish  extraction,  offering  to  lend  him 

286 


An  Artistic  Forgery  287 

any  sum  from  £1,000  to  £50,000  on  his  note  of  hand 
alone.  Laying  it  one  side  he  picked  up  the  other, 
which  was  addressed  in  a  soHd,  straightforward 
handwriting  that  he  recognized  immediately  as  that 
of  his  skipper — Captain  Simmons  of  the  Betty.  Hav- 
ing as  yet  had  no  communication  from  the  yacht, 
except  for  a  wire  in  reply  to  his,  Tony  opened  it  with 
some  interest. 
It  ran  as  follows : 

May  7th, 

S.  Y.  Betty, 

Southampton. 
Dear  Sir  Antony  Conway: 

On  receipt  of  your  telegram  I  sent  off  a  reply  informing 
you  that  we  could  be  ready  for  sea  any  day  after  Thurs- 
day next.  I  trust  this  duly  came  to  hand,  and  that  it 
will  not  be  inconvenient  to  you  to  wait  until  the  date  in 
question.  Not  expecting  that  you  would  be  needing  the 
Betty  for  some  weeks  I  had  given  instructions  for  one  or 
two  small  jobs  to  be  done  in  the  engine-room,  and  the 
same  were  in  hand  at  the  time  of  writing. 

In  connection  with  this  something  rather  curious  has 
happened,  which  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  bring  to  your 
notice.  Two  days  ago  a  gentleman  came  on  board  and 
asked  to  see  me.  He  informed  me  that  his  name  was 
Hemmingway,  and  that  he  was  a  friend  of  yours.  He 
presented  one  of  your  cards  with  instructions  written 
across  it,  apparently  in  your  handwriting,  that  he  was 
to  be  allowed  to  look  over  the  yacht. 

I  showed  him  round,  but  in  the  middle  of  this  I  was 
called  away  to  speak  with  the  harbour-master  with 
reference  to  our  moorings.  While  I  was  engaged  he  con- 
tinued his  inspection  of  the  vessel,  visiting  the  engine- 


288         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

room,  which  at  that  time  was  unoccupied.  One  of  the 
crew  saw  him  go  in,  but  knowing  that  I  had  been  showing 
him  over  the  ship,  didn't  attach  any  importance  to  the 
matter. 

Later  on,  after  he  had  gone  ashore,  Mr.  McEwen  dis- 
covered, almost  by  chance,  that  an  attempt  had  ap- 
parently been  made  to  tamper  with  the  engines.  With- 
out going  into  details  I  may  say  that  if  they  had  been 
started  as  they  were,  the  damage  would  probably  have 
been  bad  enough  to  keep  us  in  port  for  at  least  an  extra 
week. 

I  have  gone  fully  into  the  matter,  and  it  seems  im- 
possible that  any  one  else  could  have  been  responsible 
except  this  gentleman.  I  thought  therefore  you  ought 
to  hear  about  it. 

I  can  only  suppose  that  knowing  nothing  of  marine 
engines  he  was  under  the  impression  that  he  was  perform- 
ing some  sort  of  a  practical  joke.  If  so,  and  you  will 
excuse  my  saying  so,  it  seems  to  me  to  have  been  an  un- 
common stupid  and  dangerous  one.  I  don't  suppose  he 
realizes  what  would  have  happened  to  him  if  -Mr.  Mc- 
Ewen or  the  second  engineer  had  happened  to  catch  him 
in  the  act.  I  fancy  he  wouldn't  have  wanted  to  be 
funny  with  any  more  engines — not  this  side  of  the  grave. 

Everything  is  now  ready  for  sea,  or  will  be  by  the  date 
I  gave  you.  The  necessary  stores  are  coming  on  board, 
and  some  extra  cases  have  arrived  from  Harrod's  and 
Fortnimi  and  Mason's,  which  I  suppose  you  have  or- 
dered yourself  in  London. 

Hoping  that  you  are  keeping  well,  and  with  my  re- 
spectful regards  to  yourself  and  Mr.  Oliver, 
I  have  the  honour  to  remain. 

Yours  truly, 

John  Simmons, 


An  Artistic  Forgery  289 

Tony  laid  down  the  letter  on  the  bed,  took  a 
thoughtful  pull  or  two  at  his  cigarette,  and  then, 
reaching  up,  pressed  the  electric  bell,  which  was 
answered  almust  immediately  by  Spalding. 

"Has  Mr.  Oliver  gone  out  yet?"  he  inquired. 

' '  He  left  the  house  a  minute  or  two  ago.  Sir  Antony. 
I  could  perhaps  overtake  him  if  you  wished  it.  " 

Tony  shook  his  head.  "You  had  better  not  try, 
Spalding,"  he  said.  "You  might  drop  dead  from 
heart  disease,  and  that  would  be  very  inconvenient.  " 

"Quite  so,  sir,"  assented  Spalding  gravely. 

"You  can  turn  on  my  bath  instead,"  observed 
Tony.  "I  have  to  go  to  Southampton.  "  He  threw 
back  the  bed-clothes  and  prepared  to  get  out.  ' '  You 
might  tell  Bugg  and  Jennings  that  I  shall  want  to  see 
them  as  soon  as  I  am  dressed,  "  he  added. 

Gathering  up  the  tray,  Spalding  departed  on  his 
errand,  and  in  a  surprisingly  short  time  for  him  Tony 
had  completed  his  toilet,  and  was  descending  the 
staircase.  As  he  reached  the  hall  the  door  at  the  back 
opened,  and  Bugg  appeared  on  the  threshold.  He 
came  forward  in  that  noiseless  fashion  which  had 
won  him  his  famous  soubriquet. 

"Momin",  Sir  Ant'ny.  Mr.  Spalding  says  as  you 
wanted  to  see  me.  " 

"That's  right,  Bugg,"  said  Tony.  "Are  you  a 
good  sailor  ? ' ' 

"I  dunno,  sir,"  observed  "Tiger"  simply.  "I 
ain't  never  tried — 'cept  once  at  the  Welsh  'Arp.  " 

"I  am  told  that  it  can  be  very  rough  there  at 
times, "  said  Tony.     He  paused,  and  looked  thought- 


290         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

fully  at  his  devoted  henchman.  "How  would  you 
like  to  come  to  South  America  on  the  Betty?''  he 
inquired. 

Bugg's  blue  eyes  lit  up.     "Not  'arf,  sir." 

"Do  you  know  where  it  is?" 

Bugg  nodded.  "Yes,  sir.  Where  they  gets  the 
cocoanuts. " 

"That's  right,"  said  Tony.  "Well,  we  are  going 
next  week,  at  least  I  hope  so.  Just  four  of  us.  Lady 
Jocelyn,  Miss  Francis,  Mr.  Oliver  and  myself. 
There's  plenty  of  room  on  board  for  you.  Bring  a  set 
of  gloves,  and  we  can  have  some  sparring  on  the  way 
over.  It's  just  possible  we  might  be  able  to  fix  up 
a  match  in  Buenos  Ayres  and  pay  the  expenses  of 
the  trip.  I  believe  there  are  some  very  rash  people 
there,  and  they  seem  to  have  plenty  of  money. " 

Bugg  went  off,  beaming  with  satisfaction,  and 
leaving  the  house,  Tony  made  his  way  up  to  the 
garage,  where  he  found  Jennings  surrounded  by 
various  portions  of  the  Hispano's  interior.  It  was  an 
exceptional  morning  when  Jennings  did  not  partially 
dismantle  one  or  other  of  his  charges. 

"It  had  better  be  the  Rolls,  sir,"  he  observed 
gloomily,  on  learning  that  Tony  desired  to  go  to 
Southampton.  "Both  the  others  are  pulling  some- 
thing sickening.     D'you  want  me  to  come  too,  sir? " 

"I  think  it  would  cheer  me  up,"  said  Tony. 
"Besides,  wouldn't  you  like  to  see  the  yacht?" 

"Just  as  you  please,  sir,"  observed  Jennings  in- 
differently. "I  don't  take  much  stock  in  boats  me- 
self.     The  dry  land's  good  enough  for  me.  " 


An  Artistic  Forgery  291 

Tony  seated  himself  on  the  running-board  of  the 
Peugot,  which  was  also  outside  in  the  yard.  "You 
have  a  happy  and  contented  temperament,  Jen- 
nings," he  observed.     "I  often  envy  you.  " 

Not  receiving  any  reply  to  this  compliment,  he 
leaned  back  against  the  door  of  the  car,  and  lighting 
another  cigarette  watched  Jennings  gathering  up  the 
fragments  of  the  Hispano  with  that  cold  stoicism  of 
one  unjustly  afflicted  by  the  Fates.  He  had  been 
enjoying  this  pleasant  spectacle  for  several  minutes, 
when  a  sudden  sound  of  footsteps  attracted  his  at- 
tention. A  moment  later  Spalding  emerged  into 
sight  round  the  corner  of  the  bushes  and  advanced 
to  where  he  was  sitting. 

"A  gentleman  has  called.  Sir  Antony,  and  wishes 
to  see  you  immediately.  I  told  him  that  I  would 
ascertain  whether  you  were  at  home. ' ' 

"That  was  very  tactful  of  you,  Spalding,"  said 
Tony.     "Who  is  it?" 

"Another  foreign  gentleman,  sir.  A  Mr.  Con- 
gosta. " 

Tony  got  up  at  once.  "Oh,  yes,  "  he  said,  "I  will 
see  him  certainly.     Where  is  he?" 

"Not  knowing  the  gentleman,  Sir  Antony,  I 
thought  it  best  to  leave  him  in  the  hall.  " 

Tony  nodded  his  approval.  "We'll  be  off  as  soon 
as  you  are  ready,  Jennings,"  he  said.  "I  may  stay 
the  night,  so  you  had  better  bring  your  things  with 
you. " 

Then,  accompanied  by  Spalding,  he  made  his  way 
back  down  the  drive,  and  re-entered  the  front  door 


292         The  Lady  from  Lonf,^  Acre 

outside  which  an  empty  taxi  was  ticking  away  with 
remorseless  energy. 

Seiior  Congosta,  who  was  seated  in  one  of  the  big 
leather  chairs  scattered  about  the  hall,  rose  up  at  their 
entrance.  He  bowed  to  Tony,  who  at  once  came 
forward  and  greeted  him  with  a  hearty  handshake, 
while  Spalding  withdrew  discreetly  through  the  door 
at  the  back. 

"I  have  been  expecting  to  see  or  hear  from  you, " 
said  Tony  in  his  friendliest  manner.  "I  have  all 
sorts  of  interesting  things  to  talk  to  you  about. " 

Congosta  cast  a  rapid  glance  round  the  hall,  as  if 
to  make  certain  that  they  were  alone. 

"Her  Royal  Highness?"  he  demanded  quickly. 
"She  is  safe?" 

"Safe  as  a  church, "  replied  Tony.  "At  least  she 
was  when  I  rang  her  up  last  night." 

"But  she  is  not  with  you.  She  has  gone  from 
where  she  was  living?" 

"That's  right,"  said  Tony  reassuringly.  "Da 
Freitas  found  out  the  address,  so  I  thought  a  change 
of  air  would  be  beneficial.  She  is  staying  with  some 
friends  of  mine  in  Chester  Square.  They  are  taking 
excellent  care  of  her.  " 

A  look  of  relief  flashed  into  the  Livadian's  face. 

"It  is  well, "  he  said,  nodding  his  head.  "I  knew 
that  we  might  trust  you. " 

Tony  pulled  up  a  chair.  "Sit  down,"  he  said,  "and 
let's  hear  your  side  of  the  story.  I  have  been  dying 
to  know  what's  going  on  behind  the  scenes.  " 

Congosta  glanced  swiftly  at  the  clock  on  the  man- 


An  Artistic  Forgery  293 

telpiece.  "Many  things  have  happened,"  he  re- 
pHed,  "but  there  is  not  much  time  for  telHng  them. 
In  a  few  minutes  I  must  leave  you  again.  " 

"Well,  one  can  tell  quite  a  lot  in  a  few  minutes  if 
one  talks  quickly,  "  remarked  Tony  hopefully. 

Congosta  lowered  his  voice  to  a  whisper.  "The 
hour  has  struck,"  he  said.  "Even  now,  while  we 
stand  here,  the  streets  of  Portriga  may  be  running 
in  blood." 

"By  Jove!"  said  Tony  with  interest.  "Whose 
blood?" 

Congosta  raised  his  hands  in  an  expressive  gesture. 
' '  There  will  be  much  fighting.  All  over  Livadia  men 
will  die  for  one  cause  or  the  other.  It  will  be  the 
greatest  civil  war  in  the  history  of  my  unhappy 
country. " 

"That's  saying  something  too,  isn't  it?"  observed 
Tony.  He  paused  to  offer  his  guest  a  cigar.  ' '  How 
do  you  know  all  this? "  he  asked.  "Have  you  heard 
from  Colonel  Saltero?" 

"Every  day  I  have  news,"  replied  Congosta  a 
little  proudly.  * '  We  have  friends  in  many  places — 
in  the  post-office,  among  the  frontier  guards,  every- 
where! It  is  easy  to  send  a  cable  of  which  the 
government  knows  nothing. " 

"Well,  what  has  happened — exactly?"  demanded 
Tony. 

Congosta  took  a  long  breath.  "Da  Freitas  has 
given  the  signal.  For  three  days  his  followers  have 
been  making  ready.  All  through  the  North  they 
have  been  arming  themselves  and  collecting  together 


294         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

in  the  principal  towns.  It  is  the  same  with  our 
people  in  the  South.  " 

"But  how  about  the  RcpubHcan  government?" 
inquired  Tony.  "Haven't  they  anything  to  say  to 
these  ha])py  gatherings?" 

"They  have  said  what  they  could,"  replied  Con- 
gosta  grimly.  "Half  a  dozen  of  Da  Freitas'  agents 
have  been  seized  and  shot  in  Portriga,  and  yesterday 
they  arrested  General  Carmel  da  Silva,  our  chief 
supporter  and  the  richest  man  in  Livadia.  It  was 
with  his  money  that  we  were  making  our  prepara- 
tions. " 

"That's  a  nasty  knock,"  said  Tony  sympathetic- 
ally.    "What  are  you  going  to  do  about  it?" 

"There  is  nothing  to  do, "  admitted  Congosta  with 
a  fatalistic  shrug.  "Fortunately  we  have  a  fair 
supply  of  arms  and  ammunition — for  the  rest  we  must 
manage  as  best  we  can.  In  a  few  days  there  will  be 
many  rifles  without  owners  in  Livadia." 

"And  how  about  Pedro  and  Da  Freitas?"  de- 
manded Tony.  "Are  they  joining  in  the  fun  or  are 
they  going  to  sit  tight  at  Richmond  and  see  what 
happens?" 

Again  Congosta  glanced  at  the  clock.  "It  is 
because  I  want  the  answer  to  that  question  that  I 
must  leave  you.  Two  days  ago  Da  Freitas  bought  or 
hired  Lord  Northfield's  steam  yacht,  the  Vivid. 
She  is  lying  off  the  Tower  Bridge  now,  and  so  far  as 
I  know  she  is  ready  to  sail  at  any  moment.  One  of 
my  men  is  watching  her,  but  I  dare  not  trust  wholly 
anybody  but  myself.     It  is  necessary  that  our  people 


An  Artistic  Forgery  295 

should  be  informed  the  very  moment  that  Da  Freitas 
leaves  England. " 

"Then  you  think  he  is  going?"  said  Tony.  "You 
think  he  has  given  up  the  idea  of  getting  back  the 
Princess?" 

Congosta  indulged  in  another  shrug  of  the  shoul- 
ders. ' '  I  cannot  tell.  It  may  be  that  the  revolution 
has  come  against  his  will — that  he  is  unable  to  con- 
trol it  longer.  Even  in  that  case  I  do  not  think  he 
will  easily  give  up  his  idea  of  the  marriage.  It  is 
one  thing  to  overthrow  a  government:  it  is  another 
to  take  ts  place.  It  s  only  as  the  husband  of  Don 
Francisco's  daughter  that  Southern  Livadia  could 
ever  be  persuaded  to  acknowledge  Pedro."  He 
paused.  "You  are  quite  sure  that  you  were  not 
followed  when  you  took  the  Princess  away?" 

"I  am  never  quite  sure  of  anything,"  said  Tony, 
"especially  with  people  who  purr  and  smile  like  Da 
Freitas  does.  All  the  same  I  think  w^e  managed  to 
dodge  them.  I  took  her  a  twenty-mile  run  in  the  car 
first,  and  she  has  not  been  outside  the  house  since 
she  got  to  Chester  Square.  " 

"You  have  done  well, "  observed  Congosta  with  a 
kind  of  stately  approval.  "Should  our  hopes  be 
fulfilled  your  name  will  be  honoured  for  ever  in  Li- 
vadian  history. " 

"That  will  be  jolly,"  said  Tony;  and  then,  as 
Congosta  gathered  up  his  hat  from  the  table,  he 
added  casually:  "You  will  let  me  know  at  once,  I 
suppose,  if  there  should  be  any  news.  I  may  pos- 
sibly be  out  of  town  to-night,  but  I  shall  be  back  in 


296         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

good  time  to-morrow.  My  cousin,  Guy  Oliver,  will 
be  here  in  any  case.  You  can  speak  to  him  as  freely 
as  you  would  to  me. " 

Congosta  nodded;  and  after  shaking  hands  again 
warmly  in  the  doorway,  entered  the  taxi,  which  dis- 
appeared rapidly  down  the  drive. 

For  a  moment  or  two  after  his  visitor  had  departed 
Tony  remained  wrapped  in  meditation.  Then  cross- 
ing the  hall  he  pressed  the  electric  bell  for  Spalding. 

'T  am  going  to  Southampton  as  soon  as  Jennings  is 
agreeable. "  he  said.  "You  might  put  some  pyjamas 
in  a  bag  for  me  and  shove  them  in  the  car.  " 

Spalding  departed  on  his  errand,  and  walking 
thoughtfully  to  the  telephone,  Tony  asked  the  girl 
at  the  Exchange  for  Lady  Jocelyn's  number.  After 
waiting  for  several  minutes,  he  was  informed  by  a 
contemptuous  voice  that  it  was  engaged,  and  hang- 
ing up  the  receiver  he  sat  down  at  an  old  oak  writing- 
table  which  filled  up  one  of  the  bay  windows.  Then, 
selecting  a  piece  of  paper  and  a  pencil,  he  wrote  the 
following  note  to  Guy. 

My  de.\r  Guy: 

I  wish  you  wouldn't  get  up  at  such  ridiculous  hours. 
It's  a  ver>''  unhealthy  habit,  and  apart  from  that  you 
brush  all  the  dew  off  the  lawn,  and  leave  me  without 
any  one  to  ask  advice  from.  I  wanted  your  ad\^ce  this 
morning  badly. 

In  the  first  place  when  I  woke  up,  I  got  the  enclosed 
letter  from  Captain  Simmons.  I  don't  know  how  it 
strikes  you,  but  it  looks  fishy  to  me — ver\'  fishy.  I  have 
never  heard  of  any  one  called  Hemmingway.  and  I  have 


An  Artistic  Forgery  297 

no  recollection  of  writing  such  instructions  on  one  of  my 
cards.  Of  course  I  might  have  done  it  when  I  was 
slightly  intoxicated,  but  then  I  haven't  been  even  slightly 
intoxicated  for  quite  a  long  time.  There  are  one  or  two 
pleasant  fools  among  my  friends,  but  no  one  I  can  think 
of  who  would  be  quite  such  an  idiot  as  to  try  and  break 
up  the  engines  of  the  Betty. 

The  alternative  is  what  you  might  call  an  ugly  one — 
Da  Freitas!  It  hardly  seems  possible,  especially  in  view 
of  my  other  news  which  I  am  going  to  tell  you  in  a 
moment,  and  yet  who  the  devil  else  could  it  be?  If  he 
has  really  dropped  on  to  our  notion  of  taking  Isabel 
away,  it's  a  serious  business — so  serious  that  I  am  going  to 
motor  down  to  Southampton  straight  away  and  find  out 
all  I  can.  Of  course  it  isn't  the  least  likely  that  Da 
Freitas  would  have  shown  up  in  the  business  himself,  but 
I  might  get  some  useful  information  out  of  Simmons,  and 
anyway  I  can  at  least  make  certain  that  everything  will 
be  all  right  for  us  on  Thursday. 

My  other  news  comes  from  Congosta.  In  spite  of  all 
the  bitter  and  unkind  things  you  have  said  about  him, 
he  turned  up  here  faithfully  this  morning  to  report  pro- 
gress. It  was  some  report  too.  According  to  him  the 
whole  of  Livadia  by  this  time  ought  to  be  up  to  its  ankles 
in  gore.  Things  began  to  move  two  days  ago,  and  al- 
though there  has  been  nothing  in  the  English  papers 
yet,  the  odds  are  that  the  entire  crowd  of  them — Royal- 
ists, Franciscans,  and  Republicans — are  now  pleasantly 
and  usefully  occupied  in  slitting  each  other's  throats. 

Of  course  I  asked  him  at  once  about  Pedro  and  Da 
Freitas.  They  haven't  left  England  yet,  but  it  seems 
that  they  have  bought  Lord  Northfield's  steam  yacht,  the 
Vivid — and  a  beauty  she  is  too — and  that  she  is  lying  in 
the  Thames  ready  to  push  off  at  a  moment's  notice. 


298         The  Lady  from  Loiv^^  Acre 

I  admit  that  this  doesn't  look  as  if  they  could  have  liad 
anytliinj^  to  do  with  the  Betty  alTair,  and  yet  it  would  be 
a  devilish  odd  coincidence  if  any  one  else  had  tried  such  a 
trick.  Besides,  who  on  earth  would  try  it?  Everybody 
loves  me — apart  from  Da  Freitas  and  Jennings. 

I  have  told  Congosta  as  much  as  I  thought  was  good  for 
him.  He  knows  that  Isabel  is  now  in  Chester  Square 
with  some  friends  of  mine,  though  I  haven't  given  him  the 
actual  number.  He  seemed  so  pleased  and  contented  I 
thought  it  was  a  pity  to  drag  in  anything  about  our  South 
American  idea  in  case  he  didn't  approve  of  it.  Also  of 
course  I  haven't  said  a  word  to  him  about  Molly.  I 
mention  this  because  if  anything  exciting  happens  while 
I  am  away,  I  have  told  him  to  roll  up  and  inform  you. 

Jennings  has  just  appeared  outside  with  the  car,  and  is 
scowling  at  me  so  horribly  through  the  window  that  I 
can't  write  any  more.  You  might,  however,  ring  up 
Aunt  Fanny  and  Isabel  as  soon  as  you  come  in  and  give 
them  my  love,  and  let  them  know  what's  happened.  I 
tried  to  get  on  to  them  just  now,  but  the  girl  at  the  tele- 
phone laughed  me  to  scorn. 

Your  neglected  and  overworked  cousin, 

Tony. 

Having  fastened  this  up,  with  Captain  Simmons' 
letter  enclosed,  Tony  handed  it  to  Spalding  with  in- 
structions that  he  was  to  give  it  to  Guy  as  soon  as 
the  latter  came  in.  Then  getting  into  his  coat,  he 
sauntered  out  through  the  porch  and  took  his  place 
at  the  wheel  of  the  car,  Jennings  settling  himself 
sombrely  in  the  seat  alongside. 

The  exact  length  of  the  journey  from  London  to 
Southampton  is   stated  by    the  Motor  Guide  to  be 


An  Artistic  Forgery  299 

seventy-four  and  a  half  miles.  This,  however,  must 
be  due  to  an  error  of  measurement  on  the  part  of  the 
editor,  since  with  an  hour  for  lunch  at  Basingstoke, 
Tony  covered  the  distance  in  three  hours  and  fifty- 
two  minutes,  a  feat  which  is  clearly  impossible  in  view 
of  the  present  speed  limit  of  twenty  miles  an  hour. 

He  pulled  up  at  that  excellent  hotel,  the  Victoria, 
where  he  engaged  a  couple  of  rooms  for  the  night, 
and  with  the  aid  of  a  hot  bath  and  a  large  whisky  and 
soda,  removed  such  portions  of  the  roadway  as  had 
accumulated  outside  and  inside  his  person.  Then, 
leaving  Jennings  to  perform  a  similar  service  to  the 
car,  he  lighted  a  cigar  and  started  off  through  the 
town  in  the  direction  of  the  Docks. 

The  Betty  was  lying  out  in  the  Roads,  some  little 
distance  from  the  shore.  With  her  graceful  lines, 
her  snowy  white  paint,  and  her  gleaming  brass-work, 
she  presented  as  charrhing  a  picture  as  the  eye  of  an 
owner  could  desire  to  gaze  upon.  Tony  contem- 
plated her  with  pride  for  a  moment  or  two,  and  then 
availing  himself  of  the  services  of  one  of  the  small 
cluster  of  ancient  mariners,  who  had  been  hovering 
interrogatively  round  him,  he  set  off  in  a  dinghy, 
across  the  intervening  stretch  of  water. 

His  advent  was  soon  observed  on  board  the  yacht, 
and  by  the  time  he  arrived  alongside.  Captain  Sim- 
mons was  standing  at  the  head  of  the  accommodation 
ladder  waiting  to  receive  him.  The  skipper,  a  short, 
square-shouldered,  grey-bearded  man  with  honest 
blue  eyes,  greeted  his  employer  with  a  blend  of 
pleasure  and  concern. 


300         The   Lady  from   Loni^  Acre 

"Well,  I  am  glad  to  see  you,  Sir  Antony,  but  why 
ever  didn't  you  let  me  know  you  were  coming?  I'd 
have  had  the  g\^  ashore  ready  for  you.  " 

Tony  shook  hands  warmly  with  him,  and  then 
turned  to  greet  Mr,  McEwen,  the  chief  engineer, 
who  came  shambling  uj)  from  below  with  a  gleam 
of  welcome  showing  through  a  forest  of  red 
whiskers. 

'T  don't  like  having  the  gig  waiting  for  me," 
explained  Tony.  'Tt  always  makes  me  feel  as  if  I 
was  Sir  Thomas  Lipton.  " 

They  remained  chatting  for  a  moment  or  two,  and 
then  moved  off  across  the  deck,  Tony  stopping  to 
exchange  a  word  or  two  w4th  various  members  of 
the  crew,  who  all  saluted  him  with  the  friendly  grin 
of  old  acquaintance.  It  was  not  often  that  there 
was  a  new  hand  on  board  the  Betty. 

Captain  Simmons  led  the  way  to  his  O'^ti  cabin, 
where  the  time  honoured  ceremony  of  drinking  a 
toast  to  the  ensuing  season  having  been  duly  dis- 
charged, he  proceeded  to  add  some  further  details 
to  the  brief  report  of  his  preparations  that  he  had 
already  sent  along  by  post. 

*T  think  you'll  find  everything  nice  and  shipshape 
by  Thursday,  Sir  Antony,  "  he  finished  with  a  touch 
of  self-pride.  ' '  Not  knowing  exactly  where  we  were 
bound  for  I  may  have  allowed  a  bit  too  much  margin 
on  the  stores,  but  then  I  wasn't  expecting  those 
packages  you  sent  from  London." 

'Tt's  an  error  in  the  right  dimension,"  observed 
Tony  contentedly.     "We  are  thinking  of  going  to 


An  Artistic  Forgery  301 

Buenos  Ayres  to  start  with,  and  I  always  find  the 
Atlantic  very  stimulating  to  one's  appetite." 

"Buenos  Ayres!"  repeated  the  skipper  with 
interest.  "And  a  very  nice  run  too,  sir."  He 
turned  to  the  chief  engineer.  "Just  about  twenty 
days  out — eh,  Mr.  iVlcEwen?" 

The  latter  shifted  his  cigar  to  the  comer  of  his 
mouth,  and  nodded  gravely. 

"Aye,  "  he  remarked;  "though  it  might  have  been 
another  tale  if  we  hadna'  found  out  the  fule's  work 
that  veesitor  friend  o'  yours  was  up  to  in  the  engine- 
room,  Sir  Antony. " 

"Ah!"  said  Tony:  "that's  one  of  the  things  I 
wanted  to  ask  about.  What  sort  of  a  person  was 
he?" 

There  was  a  moment's  pause. 

"What  sort  of  a  person!"  repeated  the  skipper. 
"Do  you  mean  that  you  don't  know  him — that  you 
didn't  give  him  that  card?" 

"I  have  never  heard  of  him  in  my  life,  "  said  Tony 
tranquilly. 

With  a  strange  noise,  such  as  a  tiger  would  prob- 
ably make  if  somebody  trod  upon  his  toe,  Mr. 
McEwen  turned  to  the  skipper. 

"Did  I  no  tell  ye  that  the  mon  was  an  impostor? " 
he  demanded  excitedly. 

Fumbling  in  his  waistcoat  pocket,  Captain  Sim- 
mons produced  a  dirty  and  crumpled  visiting  card, 
which  he  held  out  to  Tony. 

"It's  only  a  chance  that  I  didn't  tear  it  up,"  he 
observed  rather  grimly. 


302         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Tony  took  the  card  which,  despite  its  dilapidated 
appearance,  had  every  appearance  of  being  one  of  his 
own.  He  was  just  able  to  make  out  the  following 
half  obliterated  message  scribbled  across  it  in  pencil. 

Mr.  Hemmingway  is  a  friend  of  mine. 
Please  allow  him  to  look  over  the  Betty. 

A.  C. 

"I  don't  wonder  it  took  you  in,"  he  said,  with 
a  tinge  of  admiration.  "It's  a  most  artistic 
forgery. " 

Mr.  McEwen  drew  a  deep  breath.  "My  God!" 
he  said  softly;  "I'm  wishing  I'd  found  him  in  the 
engine-room.     I'd  have  broken  him  in  twa.  " 

"It's  a  pity  you  didn't,"  said  Tony.  "I  should 
probably  have  been  able  to  recognize  one  or  other  of 
the  bits. ' '  He  turned  to  Captain  Simmons.  ' '  What 
was  he  like,  and  what  did  he  do — exactly? " 

The  skipper,  who  was  a  man  of  slow  speech,  pon- 
dered for  a  moment  before  replying. 

"He  was  right  enough  to  look  at  in  a  way — well 
dressed  and  all  that  sort  of  thing.  A  youngish, 
darkish  sort  of  fellow — might  have  had  a  touch  of  the 
Dago  about  him,  but  he  spoke  English  as  well  as  you 
or  me.  As  for  what  he  did — well,  Mr.  McEwen  can 
tell  you  that  best. " 

"I'd  had  the  head  off  one  o'  the  cylinders,  "  burst 
out  the  Scotchman,  "an'  there  she  was  put  back  in 
her  place,  but  no  screwed  down.  What  did  the 
black-hearted  Jezebel  do,  but  drop  in  a  spanner,  a 
nine-inch  steel  spanner  that  would  ha'  jarred  the  head 


An  Artistic  Forgery  303 

o'  the  cylinder  to  Gehenna  if  so  be  we'd  screwed  her 
doon  wi'oot  takin'  a  look  inside.  " 

"Have  you  any  idea  who  he  was,  Sir  Antony?" 
inquired  the  skipper  anxiously. 

"I  think  I  know  where  he  came  from,"  replied 
Tony.  He  got  up  from  his  seat,  and  for  a  moment  or 
two  stared  thoughtfully  out  of  the  skipper's  port-hole. 

It  seemed  evident  beyond  doubt  that  the  myste- 
rious "Mr.  Hemmingway"  could  have  been  none 
other  than  an  agent  of  Da  Freitas,  and  for  the  first 
time  since  he  had  light-heartedly  entered  upon  his 
adventure  Tony  felt  a  sudden  slight  sense  of  mis- 
giving. There  was  a  touch  about  this  latest  effort 
of  the  Marquis  that  suggested  unpleasant  depths  of 
knowledge  and  resource  on  that  gentleman's  part. 
It  seemed  hardly  probable  that  he  would  have 
instigated  an  attempt  upon  the  Betty's  engines,  un- 
less he  had  a  very  shrewd  idea  of  the  use  to  which  that 
vessel  was  shortly  to  be  put.  If  this  were  so,  the 
situation  was  some  way  from  being  as  simple  and  safe 
as  it  had  previously  appeared,  and  with  a  sudden 
determination  Tony  resolved  to  take  his  companions 
into  his  confidence. 

' '  I  think  you  ought  to  know  the  facts  of  the  case — 
both  of  you,"  he  said.  "It's  quite  on  the  cards  I 
might  be  running  you  into  trouble  or  even  danger, 
and  I  don't  think  we  included  that  in  our  agreements, 
did  we?" 

The  skipper  stroked  his  beard.  ' '  One  can't  include 
everything,"  he  remarked;  "eh,  Mr.  McEwen?" 

"I'm  no  sayin'  I've  any  great  objection  to  eether,  " 


304         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

observed  the  latter  cautiously;  "not  in  good  com- 
pany. " 

"Well,  you  shall  hear, "  said  Tony;  "and  then  you 
can  judge  for  yourselves.  " 

In  as  few  words  as  possible  he  gave  them  a  brief 
outline  of  the  situation,  starting  from  his  original 
meeting  with  Isabel  in  Long  Acre,  and  bringing  the 
story  down  to  Congosta's  visit  to  Hampstead  that 
morning.  As  a  convincing  narrative  it  gained  rather 
than  lost  by  this  compression,  for  the  mere  facts, 
however  crudely  stated,  had  a  dramatic  grip  about 
them  that  needed  no  embellishment  or  elaboration. 

Both  the  skipper  and  Mr.  McEwen  listened  to  him 
with  silent  attention.  It  was  a  story  which  any  one 
might  have  been  pardoned  for  receiving  with  a  cer- 
tain amount  of  surprise  or  even  incredulity,  but 
neither  of  their  faces  showed  any  trace  of  their  na- 
tural emotions.  On  the  contrary  they  appeared  to 
accept  the  entire  narrative  as  though  it  were  the  sort 
of  thing  that  might  reasonably  be  expected  to  happen 
to  any  yacht  owner  of  average  experience. 

It  was  Mr.  McEwen  who  was  the  first  to  break  the 
ensuing  silence. 

"I'm  thinkin'  that  ye've  done  a  guid  act, "  he  said 
gravely.  ' ' '  Tis  no  business  for  a  young  lassie  to  be 
stuck  up  on  a  throne  over  a  parcel  o'  murderin' 
Dagoes." 

Captain  Simmons  nodded  his  assent.  "You  can 
rest  your  mind  easy  about  the  yacht,  Sir  Antony. 
There'll  be  no  one  else  come  on  board — not  till  you 
arrive  yourself. " 


An  Artistic  Forgery  305 

' '  How  about  the  crew  ? ' '  suggested  Tony.  ' '  Ought 
they  to  be  told  anything?" 

"I'm  indined  to  think  it  would  be  injudeecious, " 
put  in  Mr.  McEwen.  "Not  that  they  would  be 
makin'  any  deeficulties — they  would  gae  to  Hell  to 
oblige  you,  Sir  Antony — but  mebbe  'twould  gie  'em 
a  sense  o'  their  own  importance  that's  no  desirable 
in  a  crew.     What  do  you  say,  Captain  Simmons?" 

Again  the  skipper  nodded. 

"Well,  that  all  seems  satisfactory  enough," 
observed  Tony  cheerfully.  "I  am  sure  I  am  very 
much  obliged  to  you  both.  "  He  poured  himself  out 
another  drink  and  lifted  the  glass.  "Here's  to  the 
voyage,"  he  said,  "and  may  every  owner  have  as 
sporting  a  lot  of  officers  as  I've  got.  " 

"Here's  to  the  voyage,  sir,"  said  Captain  Sim- 
mons, following  his  example,  "and  proud  and  glad 
to  be  of  any  assistance  to  you.  " 

Very  gravely  Mr.  McEwen  reached  for  the  whisky 
bottle.  "Here's  to  the  voyage,  gentlemen,"  he 
repeated,  "and  God  send  that  we  meet  the  mon  who 
put  that  spanner  in  my  cylinder.  " 


It  was  close  on  eight  o'clock  by  the  time  Tony 
returned  to  the  hotel.  He  had  some  dinner  in  the 
big,  sparsely  populated  restaurant,  and  then  sending 
out  a  message  by  the  waiter  to  Jennings,  invited 
that  sunny-souled  mechanic  to  come  up  and  play 
him  a  game  of  snooker  in  the  billiard-room. 

With  the  exception  of  backing  losers,  snooker  was 


3o6  J  he  Lady  from  Lon^^  Acre 

Jennings'  only  human  weakness,  and  on  occasions 
when  he  and  Tony  were  away  together  at  a  hotel  he 
would  so  far  relax  his  dignity  as  to  oblige  his  em- 
ployer in  this  unprofessional  fashion.  They  played 
two  games,  both  of  which  Jennings  won — a  circum- 
stance which  caused  him  so  much  satisfaction  that 
he  received  Tony's  instructions  to  have  the  car  ready 
at  eleven  the  next  morning  with  what  only  just 
escaped  being  an  amiable  bow. 

Despite  the  somewhat  disquieting  manner  in 
which  his  suspicions  about  the  attempt  on  the  Betty 
had  been  confirmed,  Tony  managed  to  pass  a  very 
comfortable  night.  He  dressed  himself  leisurely  in 
the  morning  and  strolled  down  to  the  dining-room 
about  ten  o'clock,  where  he  instructed  the  waiter 
to  bring  him  some  China  tea  and  a  grilled  sole. 

A  copy  of  the  Daily  Mail  was  lying  on  the  table 
beside  his  plate,  and  in  the  casual  fashion  of  one  who 
is  waiting  for  breakfast  he  opened  it  out  in  front  of 
him  at  the  centre  page.  As  he  did  so  a  series  of  bold, 
heavily-leaded  headlines  leaped  into  view  that 
brought  an  involuntary  exclamation  from  his  lips. 

REVOLUTION    IN   LIVADIA 

FIERCE  FIGHTING  AT   PORTRIGA 
REPORTED   FLIGHT   OF   PRESIDENT 

In  a  second  the  grilled  sole  and  everything  else 
had  vanished  out  of  his  mind  and  he  was  eagerly 
scanning  the  following  announcement. 


'^ 


An  Artistic  Forgery  307 

By  a  cable  from  Paris  received  shortly  before  going 
to  press,  we  learn  that  yesterday  evening  a  revolution 
broke  out  in  Livadia,  which  appears  already  to  have 
attained  wide-spread  proportions.  So  far,  information 
is  scanty,  for  the  telegraph  wires  over  the  frontier  have 
been  cut,  and  the  cable  station  at  Portriga  is  in  the  hands 
of  one  or  other  of  the  belligerents. 

It  appears,  however,  that  the  revolt  started  simulta- 
neously in  the  neighbourhood  of  Vanessa  and  also  in  the 
Capital.  At  both  places  the  Royal  Standard  was  raised 
by  a  strong  party  of  King  Pedro's  adherents,  and  in  both 
instances  the  Republican  government  seem  to  have  been 
taken  more  or  less  by  surprise.  Vanessa  is  said  to  be 
entirely  in  the  hands  of  the  Royalists,  who  have  also 
succeeded  in  occupying  the  greater  part  of  Portriga. 

The  situation  is  complicated  by  another  revolt  in  the 
South,  where  the  partisans  of  the  late  Don  Francisco, 
the  Pretender,  have  also  seized  the  opportunity  to  assert 
their  claims.  A  strong  force,  under  the  leadership  of 
General  Almaida,  is  reported  to  be  marching  on  the 
Capital,  where  the  Republicans  and  the  Royalists  are 
still  engaged  in  bitter  and  sanguinary  street  fighting.  It 
is  rimioured  that  the  President  has  already  left  the 
country. 

From  inquiries  at  Richmond  we  learn  that  King 
Pedro  and  the  Marquis  da  Freitas  are  still  in  England, 
but  in  response  to  numerous  invitations  they  have  so  far 
declined  to  issue  any  statement  to  the  Press. 

All  further  details  available  will  be  found  in  the  first 
edition  of  The  Evening  News. 

Having  read  this  interesting  announcement 
through  slowly  and  carefully,  Tony  laid  down  the 
paper  and  sat  back  in  his  chair. 


3o8         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

So  Congosta  had  been  right !  Underneath  all  the 
rather  penny  coloured  plotting  and  cheap  melodrama 
that  had  surrounded  Isabel's  story,  a  savagely  real 
piece  of  European  history  had  been  silently  coming 
to  fruition.  He  had  never  doubted  the  fact  himself, 
but  somehow  or  other  those  flaming  head-lines  in  the 
Mail  suddenly  brought  it  home  to  him  with  a  vivid 
reality  that  had  hitherto  been  wanting.  It  was  as 
if  the  buttons  had  come  off  the  foils,  and  what  had 
hitherto  been  an  entertaining  fencing  match  had 
turned  abruptly  into  a  thrilling  and  dangerous  duel. 

With  a  pleasing  sense  of  elation  he  drew  up  his 
chair,  and  prepared  to  face  the  grilled  sole  that  the 
waiter  was  just  bringing  in. 

"You  might  tell  my  chauffeur,  "  he  said,  "that  we 
will  start  back  at  half-past  ten  instead  of  eleven.  " 

The  waiter  went  out  with  the  message,  but  a  couple 
of  minutes  had  hardly  elapsed  before  he  came  back 
into  the  room  bearing  a  telegram  upon  a  small  tray. 

"If  you  please,  sir,"  he  said,  "one  of  the  sailors 
from  your  yacht  has  called  with  this.  He  is  waiting 
in  the  hall  in  case  you  want  him.  " 

With  a  certain  feeling  of  surprise  Tony  laid  down 
his  knife  and  fork,  and  slitting  open  the  buff-coloured 
envelope,  pulled  out  its  contents. 

They  were  brief  and  distinctly  to  the  point. 

Isabel  has  disappeared;  fear  the  worst;  come  back 
immediately.     Guy. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

A  DECOY  MESSAGE 

Guy  must  have  heard  the  car  turning  in  at  the 
drive,  for  as  they  drew  up  in  front  of  the  house,  he 
flung  open  the  door  and  stepped  out  to  meet  them. 
He  looked  white  and  haggard  in  the  bright  morning 
sunshine. 

"You  got  my  wire?"  was  his  first  remark. 

Tony,  who  was  at  the  wheel,  nodded  his  head,  and 
climbed  stiffly  out  of  his  seat.  Hardened  as  he  was 
to  rapid  driving,  he  felt  something  like  a  momentary 
reaction  now  that  the  return  journey  had  been  ac- 
complished without  disaster. 

"Come  into  the  house,  Guy,"  he  said.  "You 
look  like  an  advertisement  for  Sanatogen.  " 

They  entered  the  hall,  where  Tony  took  off  his 
coat  and  threw  it  across  the  back  of  one  of  the  chairs. 

' '  Now, ' '  he  said.     ' ' Tell  me  all  about  it.  " 

"Da  Freitas  has  got  hold  of  Isabel,"  said  Guy, 
making  an  effort  to  speak  quietly.  ' '  She  left  Chester 
Square  at  nine  o'clock  this  morning,  and  we  have 
heard  nothing  of  her  since.  " 

There  was  a  brief  pause. 

"  Go  on,  "  said  Tony.     ' '  How  did  it  happen  ? ' ' 

309 


310         The  Lady  from   Long  Acre 

"It  was  my  fault,"  answered  Guy  with  a  sort  of 
harsh  bitterness,  "at  least  very  largely  it  was.  I 
spent  practically  all  yesterday  with  Debenham  try- 
ing to  fix  up  about  the  Stanley  estate.  It  was 
absolutely  necessary  to  get  the  thing  settled  before 
we  left  England.  Finally  I  went  back  to  dinner  at 
his  house,  and  I  didn't  get  home  here  till  nearly  one 
o'clock.  Spalding  had  left  your  letter  in  my  bed- 
room, but  somehow  or  other — I  was  tired  out  and 
half  asleep  I  suppose — I  managed  to  overlook  it, 
I  had  left  instructions  I  wasn't  to  be  waked  up  till 
nine  o'clock  this  morning,  and  when  Spalding  came  to 
call  me,  there  was  your  letter  on  the  dressing-table.  " 

He  paused. 

* '  Directly  I  had  read  it  I  went  down-stairs  and  rang 
up  Chester  Square.  The  housemaid  answered  the 
telephone,  and  said  that  Isabel  had  just  left  the  house, 
and  that  Aunt  Fanny  was  still  in  bed.  When  I  asked 
if  Isabel  had  mentioned  any  reason  for  going  out  so 
early,  she  said  that  Spalding  had  rung  up  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  before  and  said  that  you  wanted  Miss 
Frafncis  to  come  over  here  in  a  taxi  as  soon  as  possible. 
Well,  of  course,  I  guessed  there  was  something  wrong 
at  once.  I  sent  for  Spalding,  and  as  I  expected,  he 
told  me  that  he  hadn't  been  near  the  telephone  all  the 
morning.  I  was  getting  really  frightened  now,  so  I 
told  the  girl  to  put  me  through  to  Aunt  Fanny,  who 
has  got  another  receiver  in  her  bedroom.  Then  it  all 
came  out.  Somebody,  who  pretended  to  be  Spald- 
ing, had  rung  up  at  about  tw^enty  to  nine  and  asked 
for  Isabel.     He  had  said  you  wanted  her  here,  and 


A  Decoy  Message  311 

that  she  was  to  take  a  taxi  along  as  soon  as  she  could 
manage  it.  Isabel  evidently  hadn't  the  faintest 
suspicion  that  it  wasn't  all  right.  Aunt  Fanny  was 
asleep  at  the  time,  and  she  wouldn't  allow  her  to  be 
waked  up.  She  had  just  put  on  her  hat  and  got  into 
a  taxi  that  was  waiting  a  little  way  down  the  Square, 
and  that's  the  very  last  that  any  of  us  have  heard 
of  her."  Guy's  voice  shook,  but  with  an  effort  he 
managed  to  control  it.  "They've  got  her,  Tony," 
he  added  despairingly.  "I  would  have  given  my 
right  hand  to  have  stopped  it,  but  what's  the  good 
now?  They've  got  her,  and  we  shall  never  see  her 
^gain. " 

Tony  laid  his  hand  on  his  cousin's  shoulder.  ' '  My 
dear  old  Guy, ' '  he  said  quietly :  " it  wasn't  your  fault. 
If  any  one  has  been  to  blame,  it's  me. "  He  took  a 
couple  of  turns  across  the  room  and  came  back  to 
where  Guy  was  standing.  "Hang  it,"  he  said  rue- 
fully.    "I  had  no  idea  I  was  so  fond  of  Isabel. " 

Guy  looked  up  at  him  with  a  rather  twisted  smile. 
"I  knew  you  would  find  it  out  eventually,  Tony,  "  he 
said.     "It's  a  pity  it's  happened  too  late.  " 

"Too  late  be  damned,"  observed  Tony  calmly. 
"Even  if  Da  Freitas  has  got  hold  of  her,  do  you 
imagine  I  am  going  to  let  him  keep  her  ?  I  know  now 
that  I  want  Isabel  more  than  anything  else  in  the 
world.  I  have  always  been  accustomed  to  have 
what  I  want,  and  it's  a  very  bad  thing  to  change  one's 
habits  suddenly  at  my  age. " 

Guy  made  a  kind  of  hopeless  gesture  with  his  hands. 
"  B ut  what  can  you  do  ? "  he  demanded .     ' '  You  have 


312         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

seen  the  papers  this  morning — you  know  what's 
happening  in  Livadia?  The  odds  are  they  will  take 
her  straight  over  there  and  marry  her  to  Pedro  right 
away. " 

"Then  I  shall  go  over  and  fetch  her  back, "  replied 
Tony  firmly.  "I  am  not  going  to  allow  any  silly 
old-fashioned  ideas  about  the  sanctity  of  marriage 
to  interfere  with  my  life's  happiness. " 

Guy  opened  his  mouth  to  speak,  but  he  was  sud- 
denly interrupted  by  the  grinding  scrunch  of  a  second 
motor  pulling  up  abruptly  outside  the  house.  Al- 
most at  the  same  moment  the  bell  rang  with  a  pro- 
longed violence  that  echoed  up  from  the  basement. 

"I  rather  think  that  must  be  Congosta, "  said 
Tony. 

He  crossed  the  hall,  and  pulling  back  the  latch, 
opened  the  front  door. 

The  visitor  was  Sefior  Congosta,  but  his  most 
intimate  friends  might  have  been  pardoned  if  for  a 
moment  they  had  failed  to  recognize  him.  Hatless, 
dishevelled,  and  with  a  long  smear  of  blood  at  the 
comer  of  his  mouth,  he  looked  as  if  he  had  been  tak- 
ing part  in  a  rather  closely  contested  Irish  election. 

"  So ! "  he  observed,  drawing  himself  up  and  glaring 
at  Tony,  "you  have  betrayed  me. " 

Tony  stepped  towards  him. 

"Don't  be  silly,"  he  said.  "Come  along  in  and 
sit  down. " 

He  thrust  his  arm  through  the  Livadian's,  and 
before  the  latter  could  protest  he  had  brought  him  to 
a  chair  and  practically  pushed  him  into  it.     "You 


A  Decoy  Message  313 

had  better  have  a  drink  right  away, "  he  added. 
"  You  look  done  to  the  world.  Get  the  whisky,  will 
you,  Guy?" 

Guy  started  off  to  do  as  he  was  asked,  and  before 
the  disgruntled  Senor  had  properly  recovered  him- 
self Tony  turned  back  to  him  with  a  disarming  smile. 

"Sorry  to  have  been  so  snappy,"  he  said.  "I 
suppose  you  have  just  found  out  about  Isabel,  and 
of  course  you  would  think  we  were  scoundrels — 
naturally." 

With  an  effort  Congosta  managed  to  regain  his 
power  of  speech. 

"You  know  what  has  happened?"  he  demanded 
hoarsely.     "You  know  where  she  is?" 

' '  I  have  just  heard  that  she  was  decoyed  away  from 
Chester  Square  by  a  false  telephone  message  at  nine 
o'clock  this  morning.  For  the  moment  I  have  no  idea 
where  she  is.     If  I  had  I  shouldn't  be  sitting  here.  " 

"Then  you  shall  know!"  gripping  the  arm  of  the 
chair,  Congosta  bent  forward  towards  him.  "She 
is  a  drugged  and  helpless  prisoner  on  the  Vivid. 
By  now  she  is  half-way  down  the  Thames  on  her  way 
to  Livadia. " 

There  was  a  second's  pause,  and  then  Guy  re- 
appeared from  the  dining-room  with  the  whisky  and 
soda. 

"Do  you  hear  that,  Guy?"  said  Tony.  "Senor 
Congosta  says  that  Isabel  is  on  board  the  Vivid,  and 
that  they  have  already  started  for  Livadia." 

Guy  came  up  and  put  down  the  tray  he  was 
carrying. 


314         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"I  knew  it,  "  he  said  hopelessly.  "We  shall  never 
see  her  again — never.  " 

"And  whose  fault  is  that?"  demanded  Congosta, 
striking  the  arm  of  the  chair  with  his  fist.  "Did 
you  not  promise  me  that  she  should  be  safe?  Did 
I  not  leave  the  honour  of  my  country  in  your 
hands?" 

' '  You  did,  "  said  Tony,  ' '  and  we  have  let  you  down 
with  a  bump." 

He  splashed  some  whisky  and  soda  into  a  glass  and 
held  it  out  to  the  Livadian,  who  sat  there  glowering 
at  them  both  with  angry  suspicion. 

"Come,  Seflor, "  he  added  persuasively,  "drink 
that  up  and  you'll  feel  better.  Whatever  else  we  do, 
it's  no  good  quarrelling  amongst  ourselves." 

Congosta,  who  really  did  appear  to  be  badly  in 
need  of  it,  gulped  off  a  couple  of  mouthfuls  of  the 
stimulant,  and  set  down  the  tumbler. 

"Now  listen  to  me,"  said  Tony,  speaking  very 
slowly  and  quietly.  ' '  I  admit  that  things  look  queer 
and  I  admit  that  you  have  every  right  to  feel  sus- 
picious. But  there  has  been  no  treachery.  You  can 
get  that  idea  out  of  your  head  right  away.  I  moved 
Isabel  to  Chester  Square  because  I  thought  it  was 
the  safest  place  she  could  be  in.  We  took  every  pre- 
caution, and  I  haven't  the  faintest  motion  how  Da 
Freitas  found  out  her  address.  It  has  been  just  as 
big  a  smack  in  the  eye  to  us  as  it  is  to  you.  " 

Either  the  drink  or  else  Tony's  unwonted  earnest- 
ness evidently  brought  some  sort  of  conviction  to  the 
visitor.     Once  again  his  shattered  faith  in  the  British 


A  Decoy  Message  315 

aristocracy  seemed  slowly  to  revive,  and  rising  to 
his  feet,  he  bowed  stiffly  to  his  two  companions. 

"Gentlemen!"  he  said.  "I  spoke  hastily.  I  ask 
your  pardon. " 

* '  If  there  is  any  apologizing  to  be  done,  "  said  Tony, 
"it's  up  to  me.  I  have  underrated  Da  Freitas  all 
through  in  the  most  fatuous  way — and  this  is  the 
result!" 

Congosta  reseated  himself. 

"Please  tell  me  exactly  what  happened  this 
morning, "  he  said. 

"Somebody  rang  up  the  house  in  Chester  Square 
and  pretended  to  be  my  butler,"  answered  Tony. 
' '  He  said  that  I  wanted  Isabel  to  come  here  at  once 
in  a  taxi.  Unfortunately  the  lady  she  is  staying  with 
was  still  asleep,  and  instead  of  waking  her  up  and 
asking  her  advice,  Isabel  seems  to  have  gone 
straight  outside  and  got  into  a  taxi  that  was  wait- 
ing in  the  Square.  That's  the  last  we  have  heard 
of  her. " 

Congosta  nodded.  "I  can  give  you  the  rest  of  the 
story,"  he  said.  "For  three  days  I  have  rented  a 
little  room  close  to  an  empty  warehouse  opposite  to 
where  the  Vivid  was  lying.  There  is  a  wharf  just 
below  where  any  one  would  start  from  if  he  wished  to 
reach  the  vessel.  Always  there  is  someone  in  that 
room — I  or  another — watching  and  waiting.  Last 
night,  late  and  in  the  dark,  a  cart  came  down  with 
luggage  and  packages.  They  took  them  on  board, 
and  I  knew  then  that  Da  Freitas'  plans  were  ready. 
Very  early  this  morning  they  began  to  get  up  steam 


3i6         The  Lady  from   Long  Acre 

on  the  yacht.  I  stayed  there,  watching  from  the 
window,  and  at  ten  o'clock  a  boat  put  off  with  four 
men  in  it.  They  were  all  Livadians—  one  I  knew  well 
by  sight.  I  had  seen  him  at  Richmond  with  Da 
Freitas.  When  they  got  to  the  wharf,  they  came 
ashore  and  fastened  up  the  boat.  They  were  evi- 
dently expecting  someone,  because  two  of  them  took 
it  in  turns  to  watch,  while  the  others  went  across  the 
roadway  to  drink. " 

Congosta  paused,  and  taking  out  his  handkerchief 
pressed  it  against  his  lip. 

"Just  before  midday,"  he  went  on,  "a  big  closed 
car  came  quickly  along  the  lane  and  pulled  up  at  the 
wharf.  There  was  no  one  about  at  the  moment 
except  the  four  sailors.  I  saw  Pedro  open  the  door 
and  get  out,  and  then  almost  before  I  could  realize 
what  was  happening  there  was  my  Royal  mistress, 
drugged,  helpless,  hardly  able  to  stand — with  the 
Count  on  one  side  of  her  and  Da  Freitas  on  the 
other." 

He  stopped  again  and  took  in  a  long  breath. 

"I  think  for  a  little  while  I  was  mad.  It  would 
have  been  better,  far  better,  if  I  had  not  shown  my- 
self. Then  I  could  have  got  away  quickly  and 
something  might  still  have  been  arranged.  But  for 
the  moment  I  was  so  full  of  rage  and  disappointment 
that  I  did  not  know  what  I  was  doing.  I  only  re- 
member running  downstairs — my  mind  made  up 
that  I  would  kill  Da  Freitas.  Then  I  was  amongst 
them ;  and  had  it  been  any  one  else  my  knife  would 
have  been  in  his  heart  before  they  could  have  stopped 


A  Decoy  Message  317 

me.  But  I  think  that  black,  smiHng  devil  cannot  be 
surprised.  Even  as  I  flung  myself  at  him,  he  dragged 
the  Princess  in  front  of  him,  and  I  could  not  strike 
for  the  fear  that  I  might  hurt  her.  Then  in  a  mo- 
ment I  was  beaten  to  the  ground.  I  fought  bravely 
— splendidly,  but  what  could  I  do  against  six  men? 
I  must  have  been  stunned  by  the  blow  on  the  head 
from  behind,  for  I  remember  nothing  more  until  I 
came  to  my  senses  again  in  the  small  wide  shop  across 
the  street.  Someone  had  found  me  lying  on  the 
wharf,  and  they  had  carried  me  in  there  thinking  that 
I  was  dead. " 

Once  more  he  stopped,  and  reaching  out  a  rather 
shaky  hand  for  the  tumbler  finished  off  the  whisky 
and  soda. 

"Are  you  badly  hurt?"  asked  Guy,  who  had  been 
listening  to  the  narrative  with  a  mixture  of  amaze- 
ment and  concern. 

Congosta  put  his  hand  to  his  forehead.  "It  is 
nothing  serious.  Only  my  head  aches  very  much. 
I  think  they  would  have  killed  me  if  it  had  not  been 
for  my  hat. " 

"Let's  have  a  look,  "  said  Tony.  "I  know  a  little 
about  cracked  skulls. " 

He  came  round  to  where  Congosta  w^as  sitting, 
and  bending  over  the  latter's  chair,  very  carefully 
parted  the  hair  at  a  place  where  it  was  matted  with 
congealed  blood. 

"It's  a  nasty  bump,"  he  said  sympathetically; 
"but  I  don't  think  there  is  any  real  damage  done. 
You  must  have  a  very  good  hatter.  " 


3i8         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"Shall  I  fetch  some  hot  water  and  bathe  it  for 
you?"  suggested  Guy,  getting  up  from  his  seat. 

Congosta  raised  his  hand  protestingly.  "It  will 
wait,"  he  said  with  a  certain  grimness.  "What  we 
are  speaking  of  will  not.  " 

Tony  seated  himself  on  the  arm  of  the  opposite 
chair.  "Go  on,"  he  said.  "What  happened  when 
you  came  round?" 

"For  a  little  while,"  continued  Congosta,  "I 
could  remember  nothing.  Then  suddenly  it  all  came 
back  to  me,  and  somehow  the  shock  seemed  to  make 
me  strong  again.  The  people  in  the  wine  shop  wished 
to  send  for  the  police,  but  I  would  not  let  them. 
Instead  I  paid  them  to  get  me  a  taxi.  I  had  made  up 
my  mind  that  first  I  would  come  to  you,  and  that  I 
would  find  out  the  truth.  I  could  see  from  the  win- 
dow that  the  yacht  had  already  moved  from  her 
moorings,  and  I  knew  that  it  was  now  too  late  for 
anything  except  to  warn  my  friends  in  Livadia. 
That — and  to  be  revenged  upon  you,  if  you  had  be- 
trayed me. " 

There  was  a  pause. 

"It's  horrible  to  be  so  helpless, "  said  Guy  with  a 
sort  of  groan.  "Is  there  nothing  that  we  can  do? 
I  suppose  there  would  be  no  chance  of  getting  them 
held  up  for  an  hour  or  two  at  Southend  ? " 

"What  for?"  asked  Tony  languidly. 

"There's — there's  this  assault  upon  Sefior  Con- 
gosta." 

The  latter  shook  his  head.  ' '  It  would  be  useless,  " 
he  said.     ' '  I  know  w^ell  that  your  government  will  be 


A  Decoy  Message  319 

only  too  pleased  that  they  have  gone.  The  police 
would  not  be  allowed  to  interfere  even  if  they  wished 
to." 

"But  we  must  do  something, "  exclaimed  Guy  al- 
most fiercely. 

Tony  got  up  from  his  seat.  "I  know  what  I'm 
going  to  do,  "  he  said.  "I  am  going  to  follow  them 
to  Livadia. " 

For  an  instant  both  of  them  stared  at  him  with- 
out speaking. 

"But  how  do  you  expect  to  get  there?"  demanded 
Congosta  incredulously.  "The  steamers  from  Eng- 
land are  stopped,  and  all  the  frontier  is  in  the  hands 
of  Da  Freitas'  soldiers.  No  one  will  be  allowed  to 
enter  the  country  until  the  Revolution  is  over.  " 

"That  doesn't  matter  to  me,"  said  Tony.  "I 
have  a  private  yacht  of  my  own.  " 

The  news  seemed  to  produce  a  remarkable  effect 
upon  Congosta. 

"A  private  yacht!"  he  repeated,  rising  abruptly 
to  his  feet.  "And  you  mean  what  you  say?  You 
mean  that  you  will  sail  for  Portriga  now — im- 
mediately— at  once  ? " 

"Well,  say  to-morrow  morning,  "  suggested  Tony. 
"That  will  give  us  time  to  get  on  board  first.  " 

By  now  all  Congosta's  headache  and  exhaustion 
seemed  magically  to  have  vanished. 

"My  friend!"  he  ejaculated  fervently,  "my  dear 
Sir  Antony!  You  may  yet  be  of  the  truest  service 
to  my  unhappy  country.  " 

"But  look  here!"  broke  in  Guy,  who  had  also 


320         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

risen  from  his  chair  and  was  gazing  from  one  to  the 
other  of  them.  "This  is  all  very  well,  but  what  on 
earth's  the  use  of  it  ?  Even  if  we  got  to  Portriga  you 
don't  suppose  we  should  have  the  faintest  chance  of 
being  able  to  do  anything!" 

"I  don't  like  looking  too  far  ahead,"  said  Tony. 
"It  shows  a  lack  of  trust  in  Providence.  " 

Congosta  wheeled  round  excitedly  to  Guy.  "Se- 
nior!" he  exclaimed.  "I  assure  you  that  you  may 
yet  save  Livadia.  "  He  turned  back  to  Tony.  "You 
have  seen  this  morning's  paper?  You  know  the 
truth  about  what  has  happened?" 

"I  have  seen  the  Daily  Mail,''  said  Tony  guardedly. 

"So!  That  is  right,  what  they  have  written,  but 
there  is  later  news."  He  thrust  his  hand  into  his 
breast  pocket,  and  dragging  out  some  papers,  selected 
a  crumpled  cable  form,  which  he  opened  with  shaking 
fingers.  "Even  now  General  Almaida  is  in  Portriga. 
He  holds  the  whole  town  south  of  the  river. " 

"Do  you  mean  that  you're  in  communication  with 
them?"  demanded  Guy.  "I  thought  all  the  wires 
had  been  cut." 

"We  were  not  without  our  preparations,  "  returned 
Congosta  with  a  vindictive  smile.  "The  way  is  still 
open.  It  will  not  be  closed  so  long  as  General  Al- 
maida is  undefeated. " 

' '  And  how  long  is  that  likely  to  be  ? "  asked  Tony. 

Congosta  drew  himself  up. 

' '  Senor ! "  he  replied  dramatically.  ' '  It  rests  with 
you." 

There  was  a  short  pause. 


A  Decoy  Message  321 

"Well?"  said  Tony  encouragingly. 

"There  are  two  things  in  which  our  brave  army  is 
lacking — ammunition  and  money.  If  we  can  help 
them  with  these " 

Tony  nodded.  "What's  the  idea — exactly?"  h© 
asked. 

Congosta  took  a  step  forward,  his  dark  eyes  gleam- 
ing with  excitement.  He  began  to  speak  in  a  low, 
rapid  voice. 

"A  week  ago,  by  the  instructions  of  General 
Almaida,  I  gave  an  order  to  one  of  your  English 
houses  for  a  supply  of  cartridges.  The  money  was 
to  have  been  sent  to  me,  and  we  had  arranged  a  plan 
for  getting  them  safely  across.  Had  the  revolution 
not  broken  out  they  would  now  be  on  their  way. 
As  it  is — ! "  he  made  a  quick  expressive  gesture  with 
his  hands — "The  money  has  not  come,  and  even  if 
I  could  pay  there  is  no  vessel  that  could  take  them 
to  Livadia. " 

He  paused  for  breath. 

"We  haven't  a  cargo  license  for  the  Betty,"  said 
Tony,  "but  I  don't  know  that  it  really  matters.  " 

Congosta  came  nearer  still.  "You  will  do  it," 
he  gasped.  "  You  will  lend  us  this  money  ?  You  will 
take  the  cartridges  on  your  yacht?" 

Tony  nodded  again.  "Why  of  course,"  he  said. 
"It's  the  least  I  can  do  after  losing  Isabel  in  that 
careless  fashion. " 

With  an  exclamation  of  joy  Congosta  seized  hold 
of  his  hand,  and  commenced  wringing  it  violently 
up  and  down. 


322         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"My  friend,"  he  exclaimed  with  tears  in  his  eyes. 
"How  can  I  ever  thank  you?" 

"But  Good  Heavens!"  interrupted  Guy,  drawing 
in  his  breath.  "Do  you  realize  what  this  means?  It's 
— it's — filibustering — piracy — buccaneering " 

"Is  it?"  said  Tony — "what  fun!  I  have  always 
wanted  to  be  a  buccaneer  ever  since  I  was  thirteen.  " 
He  disentangled  himself  with  some  difficulty  from 
the  clutches  of  Congosta.  "Don't  worry,  Guy,  "  he 
added,  "you  needn't  be  mixed  up  with  it  in  any 
way." 

"What!"  For  a  moment  Guy's  indignation  ren- 
dered him  almost  speechless.  "Do  you  suppose  I 
am  thinking  of  myself?  Do  you  imagine  I  shall 
desert  you — now — at  this  time?" 

"There  is  not  the  danger  that  the  Seiior  fancies, " 
broke  in  Congosta  with  a  kind  of  feverish  eagerness. 
"Listen!  I  will  explain!"  He  turned  to  Tony. 
"You  have  heard  of  Braxa?" 

"I  don't  think  so,  "  said  Tony  regretfully.  "You 
see  I  was  educated  at  Eton." 

"  It  is  a  fishing  village — a  small  fishing  village  and 
harbour  twenty  miles  south  of  Portriga.  The 
people  there  are  different  from  most  of  my  country- 
men. They  are  all  fishermen,  and  they  do  not  con- 
cern themselves  much  with  politics.  " 

"It  sounds  just  the  sort  of  quiet  and  sensible  place 
one  would  like  to  visit, "  observed  Tony. 

"  So !  You  understand  what  I  mean ! ' '  Congosta's 
excitement  became  almost  painful  to  witness.  ' '  You 
are  on  a  voyage  of  pleasure!    You  come  into  the 


A  Decoy  Message  323 

harbour  in  j^'our  yacht.  My  people  will  be  expecting 
you.  In  an  hour  the  cartridges  will  be  on  shore,  and 
then — "  he  paused  and  the  same  vindictive  smile 
gathered  in  his  eyes,  "there  may  yet  be  a  little  hitch 
in  the  clever  plans  of  the  Marquis  da  Freitas." 

"It's  a  great  idea,"  said  Tony  admiringly.  "So 
simple  and  safe!  Why  we  needn't  even  land  if  we 
don't  want  to. " 

"But  what  would  be  the  good?"  began  Guy. 

He  got  no  further,  for  he  suddenly  caught  sight  of 
his  cousin's  face,  as  the  latter  looked  round  at  him, 
and  its  expression  dried  up  the  question  that  he  was 
about  to  utter. 

"These  cartridges,"  inquired  Tony,  turning  back 
to  Congosta  with  his  previously  serene  air.  "How 
long  do  you  think  it  would  take  to  get  them  to  South- 
ampton?" 

"There  need  be  no  delay,"  replied  the  Livadian. 
"  It  is  only  a  question  of  the  money.  As  soon  as  they 
are  paid  for  I  can  arrange  for  them  to  be  sent  down 
on  motor  lorry.     They  would  go  to-night. " 

Tony  nodded  approvingly.  "And  how  about 
your  message  to  Livadia?  It  won't  be  an  easy  thing 
to  explain.  None  of  your  people  have  ever  heard  of 
me  except  Colonel  Saltero,  and  I  don't  think  I  im- 
pressed him  very  favourably. " 

Congosta  dismissed  the  objection  with  a  wave  of 
his  hand. 

"You  may  leave  that  to  me,  "  he  said.  "I  assure 
you  that  before  he  left  England  Colonel  Saltero  was 
convinced  of  your  good  faith.     I  shall  arrange  that 


324         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

it  is  he  who  will  meet  you  at  Braxa  to  receive  the 
cartridges." 

"But  won't  you  be  coming  with  us?"  asked 
Guy. 

Congosta  shook  his  head.  "I  must  stay  in  Lon- 
don," he  answered  regretfully.  "It  is  General 
Almaida's  wish.  Should  our  party  win  it  is  neces- 
sary that  there  should  be  someone  here  to  obtain 
recognition  from  your  government.  " 

"Quite  so,"  said  Tony;  "quite  so."  He  lighted 
himself  a  cigarette,  and  took  a  couple  of  thoughtful 
paces  up  and  down  the  hall.  Guy  did  not  speak 
again,  but  watched  him  with  a  strained  apprehension 
that  showed  itself  visibly  in  his  face. 

"Tell  me,  "  said  Tony,  coming  back  to  where  Con- 
gosta was  standing.  "Could  you  get  a  message 
through  to  any  one  in  Portriga?" 

Congosta  looked  faintly  surprised.  ' '  I  cannot  say. 
It  is  possible.  It  would  depend  perhaps  upon  what 
part  of  the  town  they  were  in.  "  He  paused.  "Why 
do  you  wish  to  know?" 

"I  am  a  little  bit  anxious  about  a  friend  of  mine,  " 
said  Tony  frankly.  "He  has  been  running  a  motor 
company  in  Portriga  for  the  last  two  years,  and  from 
what  he  has  told  me  I  am  afraid  that  he  has  made  one 
or  two  rather  awkward  enemies — business  enemies, 
you  know.  They  are  not  the  sort  of  crowd  to  miss  a 
chance  like  this,  and  just  in  case  he  was  in  difficulties, 
I  should  like  him  to  know  that  the  Betty  was  coming 
to  Braxa.  Then  if  he  wanted  to  slip  out  of  the 
country  quietly  he  could.  " 


A  Decoy  Message  325 

Congosta  accepted  the  explanation  in  what  ap- 
peared to  be  perfectly  good  faith. 

"I  understand."  he  said.  "You  shall  give  me 
your  friend's  name  and  address,  and  then  if  our 
people  can  reach  him  you  may  be  sure  that  he  will 
get  your  message. " 

Tony  walked  across  to  the  writing-table  and  seated 
himself  in  the  chair. 

"That's  good,  "  he  said  cheerfully.  "One  doesn't 
like  to  leave  a  pal  in  the  lurch — especially  in  Livadia." 

He  took  a  sheet  of  paper  from  the  case  in  front 
of  him,  and  in  his  best  handwriting  copied  out  the 
following  address. 

Senor  James  Dale, 
Garage  Anglais, 
Praca  D.  Porto, 
Portriga. 

"I  think  it  would  be  simplest,"  he  said,  "If  you 
just  told  him  that  the  Betty  was  expected  at  Braxa 
in  two  days'  time.  He  would  probably  like  to  see 
me,  even  if  there's  nothing  the  matter. " 

Congosta  took  the  paper  and  glanced  at  its  con- 
tents. 

"If  the  thing  is  possible  it  shall  be  done,"  he 
repeated. 

Tony  put  his  hand  in  his  pocket  and  pulled  out  his 
cheque  book. 

"And  now  let's  get  to  work,"  he  observed.  I 
shall  be  pretty  busy  if  we  are  going  to  sail  to-morrow 


326         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

morning,  so  I  think  I  had  better  leave  the  cartridge 
business  entirely  to  you.  I  will  give  you  an  open 
cheque  on  my  bank,  and  you  can  cash  it  on  your  way 
back." 

Congosta  nodded  his  approval.  ' '  That  will  be  the 
easiest  plan,"  he  said.  "Then  I  can  also  make  the 
arrangements  for  sending  them  off.  " 

' ' '  Steam  yacht  Betty,  Southampton , '  will  be  enough 
address,"  continued  Tony,  writing  the  cheque  as  he 
spoke.  "I  will  wire  my  captain  instructions  to  be 
on  the  lookout  for  them. "  Pe  blotted  the  slip  and 
handed  it  to  Congosta.  "I  don't  know  what  they 
will  come  to,"  he  added;  "I  have  made  the  cheque 
out  for  four  thousand.  " 

Congosta  gazed  with  surprised  awe  at  the  little 
piece  of  pink  paper  in  his  hand. 

"Four  thousand  pounds?"  he  repeated  slowly. 
"But  it  will  not  be  so  much  as  that!" 

"Never  mind,"  said  Tony,  getting  up  from  his 
chair.  "Ask  for  the  rest  in  gold  and  bring  it  back 
here.  We  can  take  it  along  with  us.  If  your  people 
are  as  hard  up  as  you  say,  I  daresay  a  few  English 
sovereigns  will  come  in  useful.  They  are  a  wonder- 
fully effective  weapon  with  Royalists  as  a  rule.  " 

Congosta  folded  up  the  cheque  reverently,  and 
put  it  away  in  his  pocket.  Then  he  picked  up  his 
hat. 

"Sefior!"  he  exclaimed  with  a  tremble  of  emotion 
in  his  voice.  "Again  I  offer  you  the  thanks  of  my 
country.  It  is  only  in  England  that  such  splendid 
generosity  is  possible. " 


A  Decoy  Message  327 

"There's  nothing  to  thank  me  for,"  said  Tony 
cheerfully.  "It's  my  own  stupidity  and  carelessness 
I'm  paying  for — that's  all.  "  He  accompanied  Con- 
gosta  across  the  hall  and  opened  the  front  door  for 
him.  "We  shall  expect  you  back  here  some  time 
this  afternoon,"  he  added 

The  Livadian  nodded. 

"I  shall  return  as  soon  as  I  have  arranged  about 
the  cartridges,"  he  said.  "It  is  best  that  I  should 
not  send  the  message  until  we  know  for  certain  what 
time  you  will  be  able  to  start.  " 

Once  more  he  clasped  Tony's  hand  and  shook  it 
fervently,  and  then,  after  giving  some  instructions 
to  the  driver,  he  stepped  into  the  waiting  taxi,  and 
was  whirled  off  down  the  drive. 

Tony  came  back  into  the  hall,  and  closed  the  door. 
As  he  did  so  he  caught  sight  of  a  note  lying  at  the 
bottom  of  the  letter-box,  and  taking  it  out  discovered 
that  it  was  addressed  to  himself. 

"And  now,"  broke  out  Guy,  who  had  apparently 
been  restraining  himself  with  difficulty;  "perhaps 
you'll  tell  me  if  you  are  really  in  earnest.  " 

Tony  slit  open  the  envelope  and  pulled  out  its 
contents. 

' '  Of  course  I'm  in  earnest,  "  he  answ^ered.  ' '  I  was 
never  so — "  He  paused  abruptly,  and  his  lips 
screwed  themselves  up  into  a  sudden  low  whistle  of 
amused  amazement.  ' '  By  Jove,  Guy ! "  he  exclaimed ; 
"look  at  this!" 

He  held  out  the  sheet  of  note-paper,  and  then 
thrusting  his  hands  into  his  pockets,  watched  his 


328  The  Lady  from   Lon^  Acre 

cousin's  face  as  the  latter  read  through  the  following 
missive. 

My  dp:ar  Sir  Antony  Conway: 

I  much  re^et  that  I  was  unable  to  find  time  to  say 
good-bye  to  you  before  leaving  England. 

You  have  a  proverb  I  believe  in  your  delightful  lan- 
guage to  the  effect  that  he  laughs  loudest  who  laughs 
last.  You  will  now  be  able  to  appreciate  its  profound 
truth. 

Ahvays  yours  sincerely, 

Da  Freitas. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

THE   ROYAL  PASS 

Guy  read  it  through  and  then  looked  up  with  a 
sort  of  incredulous  bewilderment. 

"When  did  this  come?"  he  asked. 

Tony  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "My  dear  Guy — I 
don't  know  any  more  about  it  than  you  do.  I  sup- 
pose someone  must  have  put  it  in  the  letter-box  while 
we  were  having  our  pleasant  little  chat  with  Con- 
gosta. " 

"But — but — "  He  stared  at  it  again  in  frowning 
uncertainty — "Good  Heavens,  Tony ! "  he  exclaimed, 
'  *  do  you  mean  to  say  that  Da  Freitas  took  the  trouble 
and  the  risk  of  sending  you  this  while  he  was  actu- 
ally—  ?"  He  broke  off  as  if  unable  to  complete  the 
sentence. 

"Looks  like  it,  doesn't  it?"  said  Tony  cheer- 
fully. "My  respect  for  the  Marquis  increases  every 
hour — in  fact  I'm  beginning  to  feel  quite  fond  of 
him." 

Guy's  lips  tightened  into  an  expression  of  restrained 
exasperation. 

"Look  here,  Tony,"  he  began  with  forced  calm- 
ness.    "For  goodness'  sake  let's  get  this  thing  quite 

329 


330         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

clear.     Did  you  really  mean  what  you  said  to  Con- 
gosta?" 

Tony  took  back  Da  Freitas'  note,  and  put  it  care- 
fully in  his  pocket. 

"I  meant  most  of  it,"  he  replied.  "I  am  going 
down  to  Southampton  to-night,  and  I  shall  start  for 
Livadia  the  moment  the  Betty  is  ready  to  sail.  " 

Guy  knew  him  well  enough  to  understand  that  for 
once  he  was  speaking  in  absolute  sincerity. 

"You  mean  to  fight  then?  You  are  going  to  join 
this  man — what's  his  name — General  Almaida?" 

There  was  a  short  pause. 

"Somehow  or  other, "  said  Tony,  "I  am  going  to 
get  Isabel  back.  It's  no  good  asking  me  exactly 
how  I  shall  do  it,  because  at  the  present  moment  I 
don't  know.  The  only  thing  I  have  quite  made  up 
my  mind  about  is  that  I  shall  either  come  back  with 
her,  or  else  I  shan't  come  back  at  all. "  He  looked 
up  smilingly  at  Guy.  "Now  you  understand  what  I 
meant  when  I  said  I  didn't  want  to  drag  you  into 
it." 

A  faint  flush  mounted  into  Guy's  naturally  pale 
face. 

"Do  you  think  I  am  a  coward,  Tony?"  he  in- 
quired very  deliberately. 

' '  Of  course  not, ' '  returned  Tony.  "Any  man  who 
has  a  cold  bath  as  you  do  every  morning  must  be 
brave.  Still  that's  no  reason  why  you  should  run  a 
quite  unnecessary  risk  of  getting  shot — especially  as 
you  have  disapproved  of  the  whole  business  ever 
since  the  start." 


The  Royal  Pass  331 

"Who  could  help  disapproving  of  it?"  burst  out 
Guy  feelingly.  "It's  the  maddest  and  most  impossi- 
ble affair  in  which  any  sane  person  was  ever  mixed 
up.  "  He  paused  as  if  to  recover  himself.  "All  the 
same,"  he  added  quickly,  "I  should  like  to  come 
with  you,  Tony,  if  you  think  I  could  be  of  any  use.  " 
Tony  patted  him  approvingly  on  the  shoulder. 
* '  Any  use ! "  he  repeated.  ' '  Why,  my  dear  old  Guy, 
I  would  rather  have  you  with  me  than  the  Seven 
Champions  of  Christendom.  I  am  sure  you  would 
be  a  lot  more  reliable  in  a  really  tight  corner.  " 

*  *  Have  you  got  any  sort  of  a  plan  at  all  ? "  inquired 
Guy  a  little  hopelessly, 

"Well,  I've  an  idea,"  said  Tony.     "It's  hardly  a 
plan  yet,  but  it  may  be  by  the  time  I  get  back. ' ' 
* '  You '  re  going  out  ? " 

Tony  nodded.  "I  shan't  be  long,  and  meanwhile 
you  can  fix  up  the  arrangements  here.  In  the  first 
place  I  want  you  to  get  on  to  Simmons  on  the  tele- 
phone. You  had  better  ring  up  the  Grand  Hotel, 
Southampton,  and  say  you're  me,  and  ask  them  very 
prettily  and  nicely  if  they'll  send  round  someone  to 
fetch  him  from  the  yacht.  Tell  him  that  we  are 
coming  down  to-night  or  early  to-morrow  morning — 
you  and  I  and  Bugg — and  that  he  must  be  ready  to 
start  directly  we  arrive.  Say  that  we  have  changed 
our  minds  about  South  America  and  that  we  are  going 
to  Braxa  instead. " 

Guy  stepped  to  the  table  and  made  a  note  of  these 
instructions. 

"Anything  else?"  he  inquired. 


Z2i^         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"Nothing  more,"  replied  Tony.  "Just  see  that 
Spalding  packs  our  things,  and  that  Jennings  has  the 
car  ready — the  Rolls  of  course.  Any  spare  time  you 
have  after  that  I  should  devote  to  making  your  will.  " 

He  picked  up  his  coat  off  the  chair  on  which  it  was 
lying. 

"Where  arc  you  going  to?"  asked  Guy. 

There  was  a  short  pause  while  Tony  lighted  him- 
self a  cigarette. 

* '  I  am  going  to  a  matinee, ' '  he  said,  ' '  at  the  Gaiety 
Theatre." 

For  a  moment  Guy  stared  at  him  in  amazement. 

"A  matinee!"  he  repeated.  "What  on — "  Then 
suddenly  light  seemed  to  dawn  on  him.  "Why,  of 
course,  that  girl — Molly  Monk — I  had  forgotten 
her."  He  paused.  "Do  you  think  she  can  be  of 
any  help  ? ' ' 

Tony  walked  to  the  door.  "She  might  lend  us  a 
sheet  of  note-paper,"  he  said.  "Anyhow  I  mean  to 
ask  her.  " 

If  there  is  one  profession  in  this  world  more  likely 
than  the  rest  to  induce  a  certain  slight  cynicism 
with  regard  to  human  motives,  it  is  probably  that 
of  being  stage  door-keeper  at  the  Gaiety  Theatre. 
When  therefore  a  quarter  of  an  hour  later,  Tony 
presented  his  card  at  the  open  pigeon-hole  with  a 
request  that  he  might  see  Miss  Monk  immediately  on 
a  matter  of  urgent  importance,  the  uniformed  gentle- 
man inside  contented  himself  with  a  weary  smile. 

"I'll  send  it  up,  sir, "  he  remarked,  "but  between 
ourselves  it  ain't  no  good.     The  Guv'nor  don't  allow 


The  Royal  Pass  333 

visitors  in  the  dressin'  rooms — not  while  the  show's 
on." 

Tony,  who  had  been  fingering  a  sovereign,  laid  it 
down  beside  the  card. 

"What  a  pity!"  he  replied  thoughtfully. 

At  the  sight  of  the  gold  piece  the  janitor's  world 
hardened  face  lit  up  with  an  expression  that  was  al- 
most beautiful. 

"I'll  take  it  up  meself,  sir,"  he  observed  hastily, 
climbing  down  from  his  stool.  "Of  course  if  it's  a 
matter  o'  urgent  importance — "  He  emerged  from 
his  rabbit  hutch,  card  in  hand,  and  pushing  open  a 
swing-door  disappeared  from  view  up  a  winding  flight 
of  stairs. 

After  a  decent  interval  he  returned  with  the  air  of 
one  who  has  triumphed  over  great  odds. 

"S'orl  right,  "  he  remarked  in  a  confidential  whis- 
per.    ' '  She's  orf  now,  sir.     You  foller  me,  sir.  " 

He  conducted  Tony  up  the  stairs,  to  the  first  land- 
ing, where  he  tapped  cautiously  on  the  second  door  he 
came  to.  It  was  opened  at  once  by  a  secretive  looking 
lady,  who  appeared  to  be  lunching  on  pins,  and  at  the 
same  moment  Molly's  voice  remarked  with  its  usual 
pleasant  distinctness:  "If  that's  you,  Tony,  come 
along  in." 

Complying  with  the  request  Tony  found  himself  in 
a  small,  brightly  lit  apartment,  the  principal  furni- 
ture of  which  appeared  to  be  a  vast  mirror,  a  long 
narrow  dressing-table,  a  comfortable  easy-chair,  and 
an  inspiriting  collection  of  foamy  undergarments, 
suspended  from  a  row  of  pegs. 


334  '^hc  Lady  from   Long  Acre 

In  the  chair  sat  Molly.  She  was  dressed  in  the  sim- 
ple and  practical  costume  of  a  milkmaid,  as  visual- 
ized by  producers  of  musical  comedy.  It  consisted 
of  a  charmingly  decollctte  creation  of  white  muslin 
and  blue  ribbon,  completed  by  a  large  "baby"  hat,  a 
skirt  that  just  reached  her  knees,  white  silk  stockings 
and  high-heeled  shoes. 

"Oh,  Tony!"  she  exclaimed;  "thank  goodness 
you've  come."  Then  turning  to  the  dresser  she 
added  kindly:  "You  can  shove  off,  Jane.  I  want  to 
talk  to  him  alone.  " 

Acting  on  the  hint  the  lady  of  the  pins  withdrew 
from  the  room,  and  hardly  waiting  until  the  door 
had  closed  behind  her,  Molly  jumped  up  from  the 
chair. 

"Have  you  anything  to  tell  me,  Tony?"  she 
asked  in  a  voice  that  shook  a  little  with  excitement, 
"I  know  nothing  yet  except  what  I've  seen  in  the 
paper.     I  have  tried  to  ring  you  up  twice,  but " 

"How  long  have  you  got  now? "  inquired  Tony. 

She  glanced  at  the  little  silver  clock  on  the  dressing- 
table. 

"About  ten  minutes.  Then  I  have  to  go  on  and 
sing  a  song,  and  after  that  there's  the  interval.  " 

"I  can  tell  you  everything  I  know  in  ten  minutes,  " 
said  Tony,  ' '  if  there  are  no  interruptions.  " 

Molly  moved  quickly  to  the  door  and  turned  the 
key  in  the  lock. 

"Fire  ahead,  "  she  observed. 

A  week  earlier  Tony  would  have  found  it  quite 
impossible  to  crowd  the  somewhat  eventful  history 


The  Royal  Pass  335 

of  the  last  twenty-four  hours  into  the  short  time  at 
his  disposal.  Practice,  however,  had  been  improving 
his  powers  as  a  story-teller,  and  without  omitting 
any  really  important  detail,  he  actually  accomplished 
the  feat  with  something  like  a  minute  and  a  half  to 
spare. 

Molly  was  certainly  an  excellent  audience.  Stand- 
ing motionless  at  the  door,  her  lower  lip  caught  tight 
between  her  white  teeth,  she  listened  to  him  with 
rapt  attention  that  never  wavered  or  varied.  Even 
when  he  had  finished  she  still  remained  silent  for 
a  moment;  then  with  a  sudden  movement  she  came 
towards  him,  her  blue  eyes  shining  with  excitement. 

"Tony, "  she  said,  speaking  with  a  sort  of  forced 
calmness  '  *  are  you  absolutely  serious  about  following 
them?  Do  you  really  mean  to  sail  for  Braxa  to- 
night?" 

"I  do,"  replied  Tony  with  quite  unusual  sobriety. 
"You  see  I  have  just  found  out  that  I  am  really  fond 
of  Isabel,  and  I  don't  see  any  other  possible  chance 
of  getting  her  back.  " 

"Do  you  think  this  is  a  possible  chance?"  She 
put  the  question  with  an  earnestness  that  robbed 
it  of  any  suggestion  of  sarcasm. 

"Well,  it's  a  bit  thin,"  admitted  Tony  frankly, 
' ' but  after  all  one  never  knows. ' '  He  paused.  ' ' To 
a  certain  extent,  Molly,  "  he  added,  "it  depends  upon 
you." 

She  drew  in  her  breath  sharply.     "Me?" 

Tony  nodded.  "You're  my  trump  card,  "  he  said 
encouragingly.     "You  know  that  signed  pass  our 


33^         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

friend  Peter  was  obliging  enough  to  give  you — the 
one  which  he  said  would  take  you  anywhere  if  he 
ever  got  back  to  Livadia  as  king?" 

"Yes,  "  said  Molly  slowly. 

"Well,  if  you're  not  using  it  for  the  moment," 
continued  Tony,  "I'd  be  awful  obliged  if  you'd  lend 
it  to  me.  If  it  will  really  do  half  of  what  he  said  it 
would  it  might  come  in  devilish  handy.  " 

There  was  a  moment's  pause,  and  then  a  clatter  of 
footsteps  came  hurrying  down  the  passage  outside, 
and  someone  rapped  loudly  on  the  door. 

"Miss  Monk,  please,"  shouted  a  shrill  and  pene- 
trating voice. 

Molly  looked  round  in  the  direction  of  the  sum- 
mons. 

"All  right,  Charles,"  she  called  out  tranquilly: 
then  turning  back  she  took  a  momentary  glance  at 
herself  in  the  long  mirror  that  hung  against  the  wall. 

"I  shall  be  up  again  in  a  minute  or  two,  Tony," 
she  said,  skilfully  smoothing  out  a  disordered  ribbon. 
"Have  a  cigarette,  and  don't  worry  yourself  about 
the  pass.     That  will  be  quite  all  right.  " 

"You'll  lend  it  to  me  ? ' '  exclaimed  Tony  gratefully. 

Molly  paused  on  the  threshold  and  looked  back 
at  him  with  a  sort  of  mischievous  elation. 

"No,"  she  said.  "I  won't  lend  it  to  you;  but 
I'll  bring  it  with  me.  " 

And  with  this  somewhat  staggering  announcement 
she  opened  the  door  and  disappeared  from  view. 

Whatever  effect  her  remark  may  have  had  upon 
Tony,  he  appeared  to  have  recovered  from  it  fairly 


The  Royal  Pass  337 

successfully  by  the  time  that  she  returned.  At  all 
events  she  found  him  reclining  in  the  easy-chair,  en- 
veloped in  cigarette  smoke,  and  looking  precisely  as 
comfortable  and  unruffled  as  when  she  had  left  him. 

"Was  your  parting  shot  serious,  Molly? "  he  asked 
in  that  pleasantly  serene  voice  of  his. 

As  he  spoke  he  got  up  from  the  chair,  and  Molly, 
who  was  a  little  out  of  breath,  dropped  into  the 
vacant  seat. 

"It  was,"  she  said;  "dead,  absolute  serious.     If 

you  want  Peter's  letter  you'll  have  to  take  me  with 

you  to  Livadia.  "     She  paused  and  looked  up  at  him. 

Say  yes,  Tony, ' '  she  added  almost  fiercely.    ' '  Don't 

you  see  that  I  mean  it.  " 

Tony  who  was  gazing  down  at  her  with  a  sort  of 
dispassionate  admiration,  nodded  his  head. 

"I  see  you  mean  it  all  right,  Molly,"  he  said 
quietly;  "but  it's  a  bit  of  a  bomb-shell  you  know. 
This  won't  be  exactly  a  healthy  trip  if  we  happen  to 
mess  things  up. " 

Molly  leaned  across  to  the  dressing-table  and 
helped  herself  to  a  cigarette. 

"Tony  dear,"  she  observed.  "I  know  I'm  a 
musical  comedy  actress,  but  it  doesn't  necessarily 
follow  that  I'm  a  complete  idiot.  I  understand  per- 
fectly that  we're  taking  on  about  as  risky  and  hope- 
less a  job  as  any  one  could  possibly  tackle.  If  Da 
Freitas  finds  out  I  should  think  the  odds  are  aboul; 
twenty  to  one  that  neither  of  us  will  ever  come  back. ' ' 
She  struck  a  match  and  lighted  her  cigarette.  '  *  Now 
are  you  satisfied?"  she  inquired. 


338  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"Well,  you  seem  to  have  a  fairly  sound  grip  of  the 
situation,"  admitted  Tony.  "Still  that  doesn't 
make  it  any  the  less  of  a  large  order.  "  He  paused. 
"Good  Lord,  Molly,  why  it's  madness — stark  staring 
madness!" 

"I  don't  see  it,  "  returned  Molly  obstinately.  "A 
wife's  place  is  by  her  husband's  side — especially 
when  he  has  run  away  with  another  woman. " 

In  spite  of  himself  Tony  laughed.  "But  suppos- 
ing we  reach  Livadia — suppose  we  actually  get  into 
Portriga — what  can  you  do  even  then  ? ' ' 

"What's  the  good  of  asking  me  that?"  demanded 
Molly.  "I  don't  know  any  more  than  you  do — not 
till  the  time  comes.  The  only  thing  is — "  She 
broke  off,  as  though  not  quite  sure  how  to  continue. 

"Well?"  said  Tony  encouragingly. 

"It's  just  an  idea — nothing  else  at  present,  but — 
but  you  have  told  me  several  times  that  this  girl  and 
I  are  almost  exactly  alike.  " 

Tony  nodded.  He  was  staring  at  her  with  a 
sudden  expression  of  freshly  aroused  interest. 

"Well,  don't  you  see?"  Molly  threw  away  her 
cigarette  and  rose  to  her  feet.  "Surely  it's  just 
possible  that  somehow — by  some  sort  of  a  chance — 
we  might  be  able  to  make  use  of  this  to  help  us. " 
She  laughed  almost  hysterically.  "Oh,  I  know  it 
sounds  wild  and  mad,  but  what  notion  have  you  got 
that's  any  better  ? ' ' 

Tony  took  a  couple  of  paces  to  the  door,  and  back 
to  where  she  was  standing. 

"By  Jove,  it's  an  idea,  Molly!"  he  said  slowly. 


The  Royal  Pass  339 

"If  we  could  get  you  there  without  being  found 
out " 

" I  have  thought  of  that,"  she  interrupted.  "I 
was  thinking  of  it  all  the  time  I  was  on  the  stage. " 
She  paused.  "Tony — you  remember  that  song  I 
was  singing  a  couple  of  years  ago — the  one  in  which 
I  used  to  dress  up  as  a  curate  ? ' ' 

He  nodded. 

"Well,  I've  still  got  the  things  I  wore — the  clothes 
and  the  wig  and  the  spectacles — in  fact  the  whole  get- 
up.  It  was  so  good  that  once,  just  for  a  joke,  I  went 
out  into  the  street  in  it.  I  walked  the  whole  way 
down  the  Strand,  and  not  a  soul  spotted  that  there 
was  anything  wrong. " 

The  old  gleam  of  mischievous  amusement  leaped 
into  Tony's  eyes. 

' '  Good  Lord,  Molly ! "  he  said.  * '  And  you  propose 
to  take  the  trip — in  those?" 

"Why  not?"  she  demanded.  "I  can  carry  it 
through  all  right — really  and  truly  I  can.  After  all 
there's  no  reason  you  couldn't  have  a  curate  on  board, 
is  there?" 

"None  at  all,"  said  Tony.  "Oh,  none  at  all." 
He  leaned  against  the  wall  and  began  to  laugh,  gently 
and  joyously. 

Molly  faced  him  with  shining  eyes.  "Then  you'll 
take  me?"  she  exclaimed. 

Again  Tony  nodded  his  head.  "I'll  take  you, 
Molly,"  he  answered,  "if  it's  only  for  the  sake  of 
seeing  Guy's  face. " 

There  was  another  clatter  and  shuffle  of  footsteps 


340         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

outside,  and  the  voice  of  the  call-boy  came  echoing 
down  the  passage. 

"Beginners,  Act  two,  please!" 

Tony  stopped  laughing.  ' '  How  about  your  work  ? 
How  about  your  part  here  at  the  theatre? "  he  asked. 

"Oh,  damn  the  theatre,"  said  Molly  simply. 
"I've  got  a  very  good  understudy,  and  the}- '11  have  to 
put  up  with  her.  "  She  glanced  again  rapidly  at  the 
clock.  "Listen,  Tony — we've  got  exactly  two  min- 
utes, and  then  I  must  start  changing.  I  shall  have  to 
have  the  dresser  in,  and  we  can't  talk  in  front  of  her. 
Tell  me  now — right  away — just  what  you  want  me 
to  do." 

For  a  moment  Tony  reflected  rapidly. 

"I  think  the  best  plan  will  be  for  you  to  motor 
down  with  me,"  he  said.  "I  can  send  Guy  and 
Bugg  in  one  car  with  Jennings,  and  call  for  you  at 
your  place  with  the  other.  I  shan't  tell  Guy  any- 
thing about  it  until  you're  safe  on  board." 

"Why?"  asked  Molly.  "Do  you  think  he'll 
mind?" 

"I  am  sure  he  will,  "  said  Tony  cheerfully.  "But 
it  will  be  too  late  for  him  to  do  anything  then  unless 
he  tries  to  throw  you  into  the  sea."  He  paused. 
"Can  you  be  ready  by  nine-thirty  sharp? " 

Molly  nodded.  "I  won't  keep  you  waiting,  "  she 
said. 

There  was  a  knock  at  the  door,  and  having  been 
granted  permission  to  enter,  the  secretive  looking 
dresser  reappeared  on  the  scene. 

"Beg  pardon  for  hinterrupting,   Miss,"   she  ob- 


The  Royal  Pass  341 

served  apologetically,  "but  it's  time  you  was 
startin'  to  change. " 

"Quite  right,  Jane,"  said  Molly.  She  turned  to 
Tony  and  held  out  her  hand.  "Well,  thanks  for 
coming  and  looking  me  up,  Tony,"  she  added. 
"See  you  again  quite  soon,  I  hope." 

Tony  raised  her  hand  and  kissed  the  tip  of  her 
fingers.  "Why,  yes,"  he  said;  "we'll  probably  run 
across  each  other  before  long.  " 


It  was  just  twenty  minutes  later  when  Lady 
Jocelyn's  pretty  parlourmaid  opened  the  door  of  the 
drawing-room  at  Chester  Square,  and  in  a  slightly 
agitated  voice,  for  such  a  well  trained  retainer, 
announced  the  arrival  of  Sir  Antony  Conway. 

Tony,  who  had  followed  hard  upon  her  heels,  came 
straight  up  to  the  sofa,  where,  as  usual,  his  aunt  was 
sitting.  She  looked  older  and  very  frail,  and  her 
thin  hands  trembled  a  little  as  she  stretched  them 
to  greet  him. 

"Tony!"  she  exclaimed,  "my  dear  boy!" 

He  sat  down  beside  her,  holding  her  hands  in  his. 

"Aunt  Fanny,"  he  said  severely;  "you  have 
been  breaking  my  rules.  You  know  that  you're 
never  allowed  to  look  unhappy  or  worried. " 

"It  wasn't  altogether  my  fault  it  happened, 
Tony,"  she  said.  "I  would  have  given  my  stupid 
useless  old  life  twice  over  to  have  stopped  it. " 

In  a  tender,  half  jesting  fashion  he  slipped  his  arm 
round   her.     "You   mustn't    talk   like   that,    Aunt 


342        The   Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Fanny  dear,  "  he  said.  "In  fact  you  mustn't  talk  at 
all.  You  must  just  sit  still  and  listen  to  me.  There 
is  no  time  for  anything  else.  " 

Lady  Jocelyn  clasped  her  hands  in  her  lap.  "  Go 
on,  "  she  said  quietly. 

All  the  way  from  the  Gaiety  to  the  house,  Tony 
had  been  pondering  in  his  mind  just  how  much  of  the 
truth  it  would  be  advisable  to  tell.  Knowing  his 
aunt,  he  was  not  afraid  that  she  would  try  to  dissuade 
him  from  his  purpose,  however  dangerous  it  might 
appear;  he  was  merely  anxious  to  present  it  in  as 
favourable  a  light  as  possible,  so  as  to  spare  her  any 
avoidable  anxiety. 

With  this  idea  he  omitted  all  reference  to  the 
attempt  upon  the  Betty,  confining  himself  entirely  to 
a  description  of  Congosta's  visit.  He  repeated  the 
latter's  story  of  what  had  happened  to  Isabel,  and 
went  on  to  relate  how  the  plan  for  a  possible  rescue 
had  been  promptly  and  happily  conceived.  By 
means  of  a  little  judicious  colouring  he  was  able  to 
make  it  appear  a  far  more  feasible  proposition  than 
when  it  had  originally  presented  itself  in  the  hall  of 
Goodman's  Rest. 

Of  his  subsequent  visit  to  the  Gaiety  he  said 
nothing  at  all.  Molly's  presence  on  board  the 
Betty  in  the  guise  of  a  curate  might  or  might  not  be 
of  assistance,  but  from  the  point  of  view  of  inspiring 
confidence  in  the  enterprise,  it  seemed  to  be  one  of 
those  features  which  were  better  suppressed. 

Lady  Jocelyn  listened  to  him  without  interruption. 
Her  face  betrayed  nothing  of  what  she  was  feeling, 


The  Royal  Pass  343 

and  for  a  moment  after  he  had  finished  speaking, 
Tojiy  was  under  the  impression  that  his  well  meant 
efforts  had  been  entirely  successful.  Then,  with  her 
faint  kindly  smile,  she  laid  her  hand  upon  his  sleeve. 

"Thank  you, Tony  dear,  "  she  said.  "It  was  good 
of  you  to  come  and  tell  me  all  this,  and  it  was  nicer 
still  of  you  to  have  told  it  in  the  way  you  have.  Of 
course  I  don't  really  believe  you.  I  am  quite  sure 
it's  a  much  more  dangerous  business  than  you  make 
out,  but  as  long  as  there  is  the  shadow  of  a  chance 
of  helping  Isabel  I  should  be  the  last  to  try  and  dis- 
suade you.  Go,  Tony,  and  do  what  you  can  for  her; 
and  God  bless  you  and  help  you. " 

There  was  a  short  pause,  and  then  Tony  bent 
forward  and  kissed  her. 

"I  am  glad  you  love  Isabel,"  he  said  simply. 

"She  is  the  sweetest  and  bravest  girl  I  have  ever 
known,"  answered  Lady  Jocelyn.  "If  you  can't 
save  her  from  this  marriage,  Tony,  I  think  it  will 
break  my  heart. " 

Tony  got  up  from  the  sofa,  and  buttoned  his  coat. 

"Don't  you  worry  about  that.  Aunt  Fanny,"  he 
said.  "Peter  won't  get  her — not  if  I  have  to  shoot 
him  at  the  altar  rails.  " 


CHAPTER  XIX 

JIMMY  DALE 

"That,"  said  Captain   Simmons,    "is    Braxa. " 

He  pointed  out  ahead  to  where  the  desolate-looking 
sandy  coast  that  they  had  been  skirting  for  some 
hours  rose  suddenly  into  an  irregular  line  of  hills 
and  cliffs. 

"If  you  have  a  look  through  these,"  he  added, 
"you'll  be  able  to  see  the  entrance  to  the  bay," 

Tony,  who  was  standing  beside  him  on  the  bridge, 
lightly  clad  in  blue  silk  pyjamas  and  a  Norfolk  jacket, 
took  the  proffered  glasses  and  levelled  them  in  the 
direction  indicated.  In  the  bright  early  morning 
sunshine  he  could  plainly  make  out  the  small  opening 
in  the  coastline,  behind  which  a  number  of  pink  and 
white  houses  could  be  seen  straggling  picturesquely 
up  the  hillside. 

"It  looks  a  very  nice  place,"  he  said  generously. 
"How  long  do  you  think  it  will  take  us  to  get  there  ? " 

Captain  Simmons  glanced  at  his  watch.  "We 
shall  make  the  point  in  about  three  quarters  of  an 
hour, ' '  he  said.  ' '  We  ought  to  be  at  anchor  by  half- 
past  nine." 

"In  that  case,"  said  Tony,  "I  shall  go  and  have 

344 


Jimmy  Dale  345 

some  breakfast.  I  shall  be  much  too  excited  to 
eat  eggs  and  bacon  when  we're  once  in  the  har- 
bour." 

He  left  the  bridge,  and  after  pausing  for  a  moment 
on  the  warm  deck  to  take  another  appreciative  glance 
round  at  the  sunlit  expanse  of  blue  sky  and  foam- 
flecked  sea,  he  pursued  his  leisurely  way  down  the 
main  companion  to  his  cabin. 

A  quarter  of  an  hour  later  he  emerged  again  look- 
ing very  cool  and  comfortable  in  a  well  cut  suit  of 
grey  flannels.  Nothing  would  ever  induce  him  to 
adopt  a  more  conventional  form  of  yachting  costume ; 
his  own  explanation  being  that  white  duck  and  blue 
serge  invariably  made  him  sea-sick. 

As  he  passed  along  the  passage  on  his  way  to  the 
saloon,  a  cabin  door  swung  open  and  someone  stepped 
out  almost  into  his  arms.  It  was  Molly,  but  any  one 
who  could  have  recognized  the  fact  without  being 
told  so  must  have  possessed  an  extraordinary  acute- 
ness  of  peroeption. 

As  far  as  outward  appearance  went  she  was  as 
sound  and  convincing  a  curate  as  the  most  fastidious 
vicar  could  possibly  demand.  Even  the  cleverest 
actresses,  when  they  dress  up  as  men,  nearly  always 
betray  the  fact  in  a  dozen  ways,  but  except  for  a 
certain  delicacy  of  feature,  there  was  absolutely 
nothing  about  her  to  arouse  the  faintest  suspicion. 
With  her  gold-rimmed  spectacles  and  her  smoothly 
brushed  and  amazingly  natural  wig,  she  looked  a 
perfect  specimen  of  that  rather  fragile  type  of 
young  clergyman,  who  is  apt  to  stir  a  tender  and 


346         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

half  maternal  passion  in  the  hearts  of  middle-aged 
spinsters. 

Tony,  who  had  had  forty-eight  hours  in  which  to 
become  accustomed  to  this  masterpiece,  stopped  and 
gazed  at  her  in  fresh  and  profound  admiration. 

"It's marvellous,  Molly,  "he observed,  "absolutely 
marvellous !  Every  time  I  look  at  you  I  feel  exactly 
as  if  I  was  going  to  say  grace.  " 

She  laughed  and  in  a  rather  unclerical  fashion, 
slid  her  arm  through  his. 

"Well,  come  along  and  do  it  then,"  she  said. 
"I'm  quite  ready  for  breakfast. " 

They  made  their  way  to  the  saloon,  where  they 
found  Guy  already  established,  and  the  steward  in 
the  very  act  of  bringing  in  the  coffee.  Guy's  face 
was  a  little  pale — the  result  of  a  slight  attack  of  sea- 
sickness on  the  previous  day,  and  disapproval  which 
had  been  stamped  firmly  on  it  ever  since  he  had 
found  out  that  Molly  was  to  accompany  them  on 
the  trip. 

"Do  you  know,  "  said  Tony,  as  they  seated  them- 
selves at  the  table,  "that  in  an  hour's  time  we  shall 
be  at  anchor  in  Braxa  Harbour?" 

There  w^as  an  exclamation  from  both  his  com- 
panions. 

"I  didn't  realize  we  were  as  near  as  that,"  said 
Guy. 

"Why  didn't  you  tell  me  before?"  demanded 
Molly.  "I  should  have  gone  up  on  deck  to  have  a 
look." 

**I  thought  you  had  better  have  your  breakfast 


Jimmy  Dale  347 

first,"  said  Tony.  "It's  very  bad  for  one  to  get 
excited  on  an  empty  tummy."  He  helped  him- 
self handsomely  to  eggs  and  bacon.  "Besides  we 
must  be  very  careful  how  we  show  ourselves  at 
present.  The  skipper  says  there's  a  coast-guard 
station  at  the  entrance  to  the  bay,  and  if  it's  still 
in  working  order  they  have  probably  got  us  under 
observation  already. " 

Do  you  think  they'll  want  to  come  and  search 
us  when  we  reach  the  harbour?"  asked  Guy  a  little 
apprehensively. 

Tony  shrugged  his  shoulners.  "That's  what 
they're  there  for,"  he  said;  "but  when  there's  a 
revolution  and  two  or  three  civil  wars  buzzing  about, 
people  are  apt  to  get  a  little  careless  in  their  work. 
Anyhow  I'm  not  worrying  myself  about  that. 
Our  dear  old  friend  Colonel  Saltero  is  expecting  us, 
and  you  can  be  quite  sure  he  doesn't  mean  to  have 
his  cartridges  mopped  up  by  any  one  else."  He 
paused  to  refill  his  cup.  "What  I'm  thinking  about 
is  Jimmy,  "  he  added.  "It  will  make  all  the  differ- 
ence in  the  world  if  Jimmy  can  only  manage  to  get  on 
board  before  the  Colonel  does.  We  shall  have  some 
sort  of  a  notion  where  we  are  then.  " 

"I  shouldn't  think  there  was  much  chance  of  it, " 
observed  Molly. 

* '  You  never  know, ' '  said  Tony  hopefully.  *  *  There's 
a  lot  of  resource  about  Jimmy.  A  money-lender 
once  spent  six  weeks  trying  to  serve  a  writ  on  him, 
and  he  couldn't  do  it  even  then. " 

There  was  a  knock  at  the  cabin  door,  and  in  answer 


34^         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

to  Tony's  "Come  in,"  one  of  the  crew  presented 
himself  on  the  threshold. 

"If  you  please,  Sir  Ant'ny, "  he  began,  "the 
Captain's  compliments,  and  there's  a  party  o'  the 
name  o'  Dale  signallin'  to  us  from  a  small  cutter  to 
starboard.  Says  'e's  a  friend  o'  yours,  sir.  The 
Capt'n  wants  to  know  if  we  shall  stop  and  pick  him 
up." 

There  was  a  dramatic  pause,  and  then  Tony 
wheeled  round  in  his  chair  so  as  to  face  the  speaker. 

"Pick  him  up!"  he  repeated.  "Why  I  should 
think  so,  Jackson.  Pick  him'  up  tenderly — touch 
him  with  care.  Tell  Captain  Simmons  I'll  be  up  on 
deck  myself  as  soon  as  I've  finished  this  piece  of 
bacon. " 

With  a  grin  and  a  salute,  the  sailor  departed,  and 
turning  back  to  the  table,  Tony  gazed  triumphantly 
at  Guy  and  Molly. 

"Well,  my  children,"  he  observed;  "what  did 
uncle  tell  you?" 

Molly  pushed  back  her  plate.  "It  was  a  put-up 
job,  Tony,  "  she  said,  "you  knew  he  was  there.  " 

' '  I  didn't, ' '  retorted  Tony,  ' '  on  my  honour.  There 
wasn't  a  boat  of  any  kind  in  sight  when  I  was  on  the 
bridge.  I  feel  it's  a  sign  that  Providence  approves 
of  us." 

Molly  looked  at  him  and  saw  that  he  was  speaking 
the  truth. 

"Well,  we've  started,"  she  said  w4th  a  little  tri- 
umphant laugh.     "Can  I  come  up  with  you?" 

Tony  shook  his  head.     ' '  I  think  you  had  better  lie 


Jimmy  Dale  349 

low  for  the  present,"  he  answered.  "You're  the 
Queen  of  Trumps  in  this  game,  Molly,  and  we  don't 
want  to  play  you  too  soon. " 

Molly  looked  a  trifle  disappointed,  but  she  raised 
no  objection.  "All  right,"  she  said  obediently. 
"I'll  save  myself  up  for  the  King. " 

Tony  rose  from  the  table.  "I'll  bring  Jimmy 
down  as  soon  as  he's  on  board,  "  he  said.  "You  had 
better  get  out  the  whisky  and  soda.  He's  sure  to  be 
hungry. " 

He  left  the  cabin,  followed  by  Guy,  and  making  his 
way  up  the  companion,  stepped  out  on  to  the  smooth 
and  spotless  deck. 

The  Betty  had  slowed  down  almost  completely  and 
only  a  faint  ripple  in  her  wake  showed  that  she  was 
still  moving.  Hove  to,  a  little  distance  ahead,  lay 
a  small  cutter  of  about  seven  tons,  from  which  a 
dinghy  with  a  couple  of  men  on  board  was  just 
putting  out. 

They  rowed  rapidly  across  the  intervening  water  so 
as  to  cut  off  the  yacht,  and  timing  it  to  perfection 
reached  their  destination  just  as  she  was  practically 
ceasing  to  move.  An  accommodation  ladder  had 
been  let  down  over  the  side,  and  Jimmy,  a  stout  and 
happy  looking  young  gentleman  who  was  crouching  in 
the  bows,  grabbed  hold  of  it  neatly  as  it  came  along- 
side. The  next  moment  he  had  scrambled  on  board, 
and  the  boat  with  its  solitary  occupant  was  drifting 
away  astern. 

"Once  aboard  the  lugger — "  observed  the  new- 
comer in  an  extraordinarily  soft  voice,  and  then 


350        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

with  a  faint  chuckle  he  stepped  forward  and  clasped 
Tony's  outstretched  hand.  "Hope  I  haven't  come 
too  early?"  he  added  cheerfully. 

Tony  wrung  his  hand,  and  taking  a  pace  back- 
wards surveyed  him  with  an  affectionate  approval. 

"My  dear  Jimmy,  "  he  said.  "You  come  like  the 
flowers  in  May." 

"And  I  may  mention,  "  added  Jimmy,  transferring 
his  grip  to  Guy,  "that  I  come  after  a  prolonged  and 
distressing  drought. " 

Tony  smiled  happily.  "I  have  ordered  breakfast 
for  you,"  he  said.  "We  will  go  straight  down,  as 
soon  as  I  have  introduced  you  to  the  skipper.  " 

Captain  Simmons,  who  had  left  the  bridge,  was 
advancing  along  the  deck  towards  them. 

"This  is  my  friend  Jimmy  Dale,  Captain,"  said 
Tony.  "He  is  one  of  Portriga's  most  distinguished 
citizens. " 

"That  so?"  said  the  skipper  extending  a  huge 
brown  paw.  '  *  Glad  to  meet  you,  Mr.  Dale.  Perhaps 
you  can  tell  us  what's  going  on  ashore,  and  whether 
we're  likely  to  hit  any  trouble  if  we  run  straight  in 
to  Braxa. " 

"I  shouldn't  think  so, "  replied  Jimmy  in  his  soft 
and  pleasing  voice.  "As  far  as  I  know  all  the  able- 
bodied  officials  in  Braxa  have  pushed  off  to  Portriga 
to  join  in  the  looting.  I  believe  there  are  one  or  two 
policemen  left,  but  I  don't  suppose  they  are  awake 
yet." 

"We  won't  disturb  'em,"  said  the  Captain. 
"We'll  come  in  nice  and  quiet,  and  let  'em  have  their 


Jimmy  Dale  351 

nap  out.  Do  you  know  the  harbour  at  all,  Mr. 
Dale?" 

* '  Pretty  fair, ' '  said  Jimmy.  ' '  I ' ve  been  out  fishing 
in  it  a  good  number  of  times.  " 

"Well,  perhaps  when  we  get  round  the  Head  you 
wouldn't  mind  coming  up  on  the  bridge.  I've 
never  been  in  here  before,  and  there  might  be  one  or 
two  points  I'd  be  glad  of  a  little  information  about.  " 

"I'll  bring  him  along,"  said  Tony.  "How  soon 
will  he  be  wanted? " 

"Oh,  there's  no  hurry,"  replied  the  Captain  gen- 
ially. "Plenty  o'  time  for  a  good  breakfast.  We 
shan't  be  off  the  Head  for  another  twenty  minutes 
yet." 

He  turned  to  retrace  his  steps,  and  after  offering 
Jimmy  a  cigarette,  Tony  started  to  lead  the  way 
below. 

Molly  was  still  sitting  at  the  table  when  they 
entered  the  saloon,  and  at  the  unexpected  sight 
Jimmy's  good-natured  countenance  betrayed  a  mo- 
mentary surprise  and  embarrassment. 

"Ah,  I  forgot  to  tell  you  we  had  a  friend  with  us,  " 
said  Tony  easily.  "Let  me  introduce  you.  The 
Reverend  Mr.  Monk — my  old  pal  Jimmy  Dale.  " 

They  shook  hands  gravely- — an  action  which 
proved  nearly  too  much  even  for  the  sedate  Guy,  who 
turned  away  hastily  to  hide  his  expression. 

"Dear  old  James, "  said  Tony.  "It's  so  nice  to 
see  you  again.     Have  some  eggs  and  bacon? " 

Jimmy  sat  down  at  the  table  and  automatically 
pulled  the  whisky  and  soda  towards  himself. 


352         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"I'll  have  anything  that's  going,"  he  replied 
obligingly.  "But  what  I  should  like  best  of  all  are  a 
few  explanations.  At  present  I  feel  as  if  I  was  taking 
a  small  part  in  a  cinematograph  film. " 

He  squirted  a  modest  supply  of  soda  into  his 
tumbler,  and  accepted  the  well  supplied  plate  which 
Molly  handed  across  to  him. 

"You  shall  have  everything  in  a  minute  if  you  are 
good  and  patient,"  said  Tony  encouragingly.  "To 
start  with,  however,  there  are  one  or  two  questions 
that  we  want  to  ask  you.  You  mayn't  be  aware  of 
it,  Jimmy,  but  at  the  present  moment  you  are  a  very 
valuable  and  important  person.  " 

' '  I  felt  it, ' '  said  Jimmy ;  "  I  felt  it  directly  I  stepped 
on  board."  He  took  a  deep  and  apparently  much 
welcome  drink,  and  set  down  the  tumbler. 

"We  want  you  to  tell  us,  "  went  on  Tony,  "exactly 
what's  been  happening  in  Livadia  since  the  day 
before  yesterday.  We  know  all  about  the  beginning 
of  the  Revolution,  but  we  are  not  quite  up-to-date 
with  the  last  part.  " 

"The  day  before  yesterday,"  repeated  Jimmy 
thoughtfully.  "Let's  see — that  was  Thursday, 
wasn't  it  ?  There's  been  such  a  lot  of  blood  and  noise 
and  free  drinks  about  that  I've  got  a  bit  mixed  up  in 
my  dates.  "  He  paused  to  take  a  large  mouthful  of 
egg  and  bacon.  "Thursday, "  he  continued  a  little 
indistinctly,  "was  just  about  the  brightest  and 
breeziest  day  we've  had.  It  was  the  morning  that 
Almaida  made  his  big  attack  on  the  Royalists,  and 
they  were  scrapping  from  eight  o'clock  until  three  or 


Jimmy  Dale  353 

four  in  the  afternoon.  They  would  have  gone  on 
longer,  only  all  the  wine  shops  had  been  cleaned  out 
by  then  and  everybody  was  so  thirsty  that  they  had 
to  stop." 

"And  what  happened?"  asked  Guy.  "Who  got 
the  best  of  it  ? " 

"Well,  I  suppose  it  was  more  or  less  of  a  drawn 
battle,"  returned  Jimmy  indifferently.  "Almaida 
managed  to  cross  the  river  and  bag  the  railway 
station  and  the  Town  Hall,  but  as  they'd  both  been 
burned  to  the  ground  I  don't  suppose  he  got  much 
for  his  trouble.  It  was  quite  a  merry  little  romp 
while  it  lasted  though.  " 

Tony  reached  across  for  the  whisky  and  helped 
himself  to  a  companion  peg. 

"What  did  you  do  in  the  great  war,  Daddy?"  he 
inquired. 

* '  Me ! ' '  said  Jimmy.  ' '  Oh,  I  was  a  very  good  little 
boy.  I  hoisted  the  Union  Jack,  and  stopped  in  my 
own  house,  and  when  any  one  tried  the  front  door 
I  fired  at  them  out  of  the  window.  I  don't  think 
I  hit  anybody — I'm  such  a  putrid  shot  with  a 
revolver. " 

"Well,  you  did  your  best,"  said  Tony  consolingly, 
"and  that's  all  that  really  matters.  " 

Jimmy  shook  his  head.  "I  used  up  a  lot  of  cart- 
ridges,"  he  objected,  "and  they  cost  no  end  of 
money  out  here.  Besides  I  should  like  to  have 
slaughtered  just  one  Livadian.  One  doesn't  often 
get  the  chance  of  doing  such  a  good  turn  to  human- 
ity." 


354        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"But  how  about  the  Revolution?"  broke  in  Guy  a 
trifle  impatiently.  "What  happened  after  the  fight- 
ing came  to  an  end?" 

"Oh,  the  fighting  didn't  come  to  an  end,  "  returned 
Jimmy.  "It  was  only  the  battle.  People  went  on 
shooting  each  other  privately  all  night,  and  next 
morning  there  was  some  sort  of  an  attempt  at  another 
general  engagement.  It  was  nothing  like  Thursday, 
however,  because  both  sides  were  running  short  of 
ammunition.  However,  I  thought  it  seemed  health- 
ier indoors,  so  I  stayed  where  I  was  until  about  three 
o'clock,  when  I  suddenly  noticed  that  the  shooting 
was  beginning  to  stop,  and  that  the  people  were 
gathering  together  into  groups  and  jawing  and  jabber- 
ing like  a  lot  of  monkeys.  I  guessed  that  something 
had  happened,  so  I  loaded  up  my  revolver  and  shoved 
on  a  hat,  and  tootled  out  into  the  sunshine.  " 

He  paused  to  select  a  cigar  from  the  case  which 
Tony  was  holding  out  to  him. 

"Almost  the  first  person  I  ran  into,"  he  went  on, 
"was  a  man  I  happened  to  know.  I  asked  him  what 
was  up,  and  he  told  me  that  there  was  a  report  all 
over  the  town  that  Pedro  and  Da  Freitas  had  just 
arrived  from  England  with  Don  Francisco's  daughter, 
and  that  she  and  the  King  were  going  to  be  married 
at  once.  Well,  of  course,  that  put  the  hat  on  every- 
thing so  to  speak.  Whatever  Almaida's  private 
notions  may  have  been,  he  was  nominally  fighting 
to  make  this  girl  Queen  of  Livadia,  and  if  she  was 
really  going  to  be  married  to  Pedro,  the  whole  thing 
was  nothing  but  a  damned  farce. "     He    coughed 


Jimmy  Dale  355 

and  turned  to  Molly.  "Sorry,  Padre,"  he  added 
apologetically.     ' '  Forgot  you  were  here. ' ' 

Molly  inclined  her  head  gravely,  and  once  again 
Guy  turned  away  to  conceal  his  emotions. 

"Go  on,  James, "  said  Tony  in  a  reassuring  voice. 
"You  needn't  be  afraid  of  shocking  Mr.  Monk.  He 
has  been  chaplain  to  a  bishop." 

"There's  not  so  very  much  more  to  tell,"  said 
Jimmy.  "At  first,  of  course,  most  of  Almaida's 
people  thought  it  was  just  a  bluff  on  the  part  of  the 
Royalists — a  sort  of  trick  to  try  and  upset  'em  and 
then  catch  'em  on  the  hop.  By  six  o'clock,  however, 
posters  and  bills  began  to  be  shoved  up  all  over  the 
place.  No  one  seemed  to  know  who  was  doing  it, 
but  there  they  were  as  large  as  life,  saying  that  the 
marriage  would  come  off  in  the  Cathedral  on  Sunday 
morning,  and  calling  upon  all  the  Franciscans  to  lay 
down  their  arms.  I  was  coming  back  home,  when  I 
found  one  of  them  stuck  up  on  the  post-office  wall, 
almost  exactly  opposite  my  house.  I  stopped  to 
have  a  look,  and  while  I  was  reading  it  a  chap  came 
sidling  down  the  street  and  pulled  up  alongside  of  me. 
He  was  a  pretty  average  looking  sort  of  scoundrel, 
with  a  dirty  bandage  round  his  head  instead  of  a 
cap.  I  could  see  that  he  was  squinting  at  me  out 
of  the  corner  of  his  eye,  and  I  was  just  wondering 
whether  I'd  better  move  on  quietly  or  plug  him  hard 
on  the  jaw,  when  he  suddenly  asked  me  in  a  hoarse 
whisper  if  I  was  the  Sefior  James  Dale.  I  told  him  I 
was,  and  then  to  my  utter  astonishment  he  gabbled 
out  some  message  to  the  effect  that  you  were  coming 


35^        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

to  Livadia  and  that  the  Betty  was  expected  at  Braxa 
early  this  morning.  It  fairly  took  my  breath  away 
for  a  minute,  and  before  I  could  ask  him  a  single 
question  some  more  people  came  round  the  comer  of 
the  street,  and  he  skidded  off  like  a  rat  when  it  sees  a 
terrier." 

Tony  laughed  softly.  "Have  another  drink, 
James, "  he  suggested.  "I'm  sorry  to  have  given  you 
these  nervous  shocks,  but  we  were  rather  pressed  for 
time." 

"Oh,  I  rallied  all  right,"  said  Jimmy,  helping 
himself  to  a  second  peg.  ' '  It  was  a  bit  of  a  thunder- 
bolt for  a  moment,  but  knowing  your  taste  in  amuse- 
ments I  realized  at  once  that  it  was  just  the  sort  of 
time  you  would  choose  for  a  pleasure  trip  to  Livadia. 
Of  course  I  hadn't  a  notion  how  you  had  managed  to 
get  the  message  through  to  me,  but  after  all  that 
didn't  really  matter.  The  great  thing  was  to  get  to 
Braxa  in  time  to  meet  you.  " 

He  paused  to  refresh  himself. 

"How  did  you  manage  it?"  inquired  Guy.  "I 
suppose  there  are  no  trains  running  or  anything  of 
that  sort. " 

"The  only  thing  that's  running  in  Livadia  at 
the  present  moment  is  blood,"  returned  Jimmy 
cheerfully.  "Fortunately  for  me,  however,  I'd  got  a 
car.  I  sneaked  it  out  of  the  garage  quietly  on  Mon- 
day when  the  trouble  started,  and  I  had  it  locked  up 
in  a  sort  of  out-house  at  the  back  of  my  place.  I 
knew,  of  course,  that  I  hadn't  a  dog's  chance  of  getting 
out  of  the  town  with  it  on  my  own,  so  without  fooling 


Jimmy  Dale  357 

around  I  went  straight  off  to  the  British  Consulate, 
which  is  quite  close  to  where  I  live.  I  managed  to 
get  hold  of  Watson  himself,  and  he  gave  me  a  letter 
saying  that  I  was  a  British  subject,  and  if  anybody 
interfered  with  me  all  sorts  of  giddy  things  would 
happen  to  him.  Of  course  it  wasn't  exactly  a 
gilt-edged  security  in  a  time  like  this:  still  it  was 
the  best  thing  I  could  get,  and  I  thought  that 
with  the  help  of  a  bit  of  bluff  it  might  pull  me 
through."  He  paused.  "Well,  to  cut  a  long  yarn 
short,  it  did.  I  had  a  little  trouble  on  the  road,  but 
I  reached  Braxa  at  last — about  three  o'clock  this 
morning — and  knocked  up  an  old  boy  that  I  used  to 
go  fishing  with.  I  explained  the  situation  to  him — 
more  or  less — and  we  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the 
best  plan  would  be  to  pick  you  up  outside  the  har- 
bour. He  helped  me  stuff  away  the  car  in  an  old  shed 
he's  got  up  at  the  top  of  the  jetty;  then  we  just 
tumbled  into  his  boat  and — and — well,  here  we  are.  " 
He  leaned  back  and  surveyed  his  companions.  "And 
now,"  he  added  placidly,  "perhaps  you'll  be  kind 
enough  to  let  me  know  what  the  devil  it  all  means." 

There  was  a  brief  pause. 

"I'll  tell  him  if  you  like,"  offered  Guy. 

Tony  glanced  at  his  watch.  "I  think  you  had 
better  leave  it  to  me, ' '  he  said.  ' '  We  shall  be  wanted 
on  deck  in  a  few  minutes,  and  I've  had  such  a  lot  of 
practice,  I'm  sure  I  can  tell  it  quicker  than  any  one 
else."  He  turned  to  Jimmy.  "It's  an  exciting 
story,  James ;  but  you  must  listen  very  carefully  and 
not  interrupt  me. " 


358  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Mr.  Dale  crossed  his  legs.  "Let  her  rip,"  he 
observed  tranquilly. 

Once  more,  and  this  time  with  a  masterly  brevity 
that  put  all  his  previous  efforts  in  the  shade,  Tony 
proceeded  to  relate  the  series  of  stimulating  incidents 
which  had  sprung  from  his  chance  encounter  with 
Isabel  outside  the  Long  Acre  flats.  Owing  to  his 
highly  condensed  method  it  was  impossible  to  avoid 
a  certain  obscurity  about  some  of  the  details,  but 
obedient  to  his  instructions  Jimmy  received  it  all  in 
unquestioning  silence. 

For  a  moment,  even  after  Tony  had  finished,  he 
still  remained  mute;  then  with  a  sudden  soft  little 
chuckle  he  got  up  from  his  chair,  and  thrust  his  hands 
deep  into  his  trouser  pockets. 

"My  sainted  Aunt!"  he  observed.  "If  ever 
there  was  a  purple  picnic  on  this  earth  it  seems  to  me 
we've  struck  it."  He  paused,  as  though  over- 
whelmed with  the  magnificence  of  the  situation. 
"And  this  girl,  "  he  went  on  slowly,  "this  girl  who's 
so  like  the  Princess?  Do  you  really  mean  to  say 
that  you  have  brought  her  with  you — that  you've 
got  her  here — on  board  ? ' ' 

"We  have,"  replied  Tony,  "very  much  so." 

Jimmy  glanced  round  the  cabin.  "Well,  where  is 
she?    What  have  you  done  with  her ? " 

Tony  turned  his  seat  in  the  direction  of  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Monk. 

"Get  up,  Molly,"  he  said.  "Get  up  and  make 
the  gentleman  a  nice  curtsey.  " 

With  her  most  bewitching  smile,  Molly  rose  to  her 


Jimmy  Dale  359 

feet,  and  picking  up  the  skirts  of  her  coat  in  either 
hand,  sank  gracefully  towards  the  floor. 

For  an  instant,  for  just  one  poignant  instant, 
Jimmy  remained  gazing  at  her  in  open-mouthed 
incredulity;  and  then  with  an  apologetic  rap  on  the 
door  the  seaman  Jackson  again  presented  himself 
on  the  threshold, 

"If  you  please.  Sir  Ant'ny — the  Capt'n's  compli- 
ments, and  he'd  be  glad  to  see  you  and  the  other 
gentleman  on  the  bridge." 


CHAPTER  XX 

COUNTERPLOTTING 

It  would  have  been  difficult  to  find  anything  more 
restful  looking  than  Braxa  Harbour,  as  it  lay  flooded 
in  the  morning  sunshine.  Whatever  bloodthirsty 
events  might  have  taken  place  further  inland,  they 
had  certainly  failed  to  produce  any  visible  effect 
upon  this  tranquil  little  fishing  village. 

From  the  bridge  of  the  Betty,  which  had  come  to 
anchor  a  couple  of  hundred  yards  off  the  end  of  the 
long  stone  jetty,  there  was  nothing  to  be  seen  that 
in  any  way  broke  the  agreeable  atmosphere  of  peace 
and  harmony.  Except  for  a  few  old  boats,  the  sandy 
beach  was  absolutely  deserted,  while  the  pink  and 
white  houses,  that  clambered  up  the  hill  at  the  back, 
seemed  pleasantly  asleep  in  the  shadow  of  their 
surrounding  trees.  Round  a  low  headland  on  the 
right,  a  small  river  meandered  out  into  the  bay,  its 
tranquil  current  being  plainly  visible  against  the 
clear  blue  of  the  sea  water. 

"I've  seen  livelier  looking  places,"  observed 
Captain  Simmons  critically,  "but  I  can't  say  I  ever 
saw  a  much  more  dangerous  harbour  for  a  big  yacht, 
not  if  it  should  come  on  to  blow  from  the  sou'-west.  " 

360 


Counterplotting  361 

Tony  leaned  meditatively  over  the  rail  and 
inspected  the  prospect. 

"I'm  afraid  we  have  arrived  a  little  early, "  he  said. 
"The  Mayor  and  Corporation  don't  seem  to  be  up 
yet. " 

"Oh,  there's  never  much  of  a  rush  here  in  the 
morning,"  remarked  Jimmy,  who  was  standing 
beside  him.  ' '  I  once  saw  a  dog  on  the  beach  before 
breakfast,  but  I  think  he'd  been  out  all  night.  "  He 
tossed  the  stump  of  his  cigar  over  the  side  and 
watched  it  drop  down  into  the  water.  ' '  What  do  we 
do  now? "  he  inquired. 

* '  Well,  considering  that  we've  come  by  invitation, ' ' 
answered  Tony,  * '  I  should  say  the  best  thing  was  to 
sit  tight  and  admire  the  view.  Somebody  will  prob- 
ably notice  that  we've  arrived,  sooner  or  later. " 

With  a  sudden  movement  the  Captain  raised  his 
glasses,  and  levelled  them  on  the  point  away  to  the 
right  where  the  river  ran  out  into  the  bay. 

"Seems  to  me,"  he  observed,  "that  somebody's 
noticed  it  already. " 

He  pointed  to  the  headland,  and  as  he  did  so  both 
his  companions  suddenly  caught  sight  of  something 
low  and  black  in  the  water  that  was  moving  slowly  out 
of  the  mouth  of  the  river. 

"It's  a  petrol  launch,"  said  the  skipper,  "and 
unless  I'm  much  mistaken  they're  coming  along  to 
say  good-morning  to  us.  " 

With  quiet  deliberation  Tony  surveyed  the  ad- 
vancing vessel,  which  was  already  swinging  round  in 
the  direction  of  the  Betty. 


362  The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"I  can't  see  any  one  yet,"  he  announced,  "but 
it's  pretty  sure  to  be  Colonel  Saltero.  Jimmy,  you'd 
better  go  downstairs  and  lock  yourself  in  the  bath- 
room with  Molly.  I  don't  want  him  to  know  that 
we're  a  passenger  steamer.  " 

"Right  you  are,"  said  Jimmy  with  alacrity. 
"Come  and  tell  us  when  it's  all  over. " 

He  climbed  down  the  bridge  ladder,  whistling 
tunefully  to  himself,  and  turning  back  towards  the 
approaching  launch,  Tony  again  scrutinized  it  care- 
fully through  his  glasses. 

As  it  drew  nearer  he  was  able  to  see  that  there  were 
three  men  on  board,  and  amongst  them  he  soon  made 
out  the  square-shouldered,  aggressive  figure  of 
Colonel  Saltero.  That  distinguished  warrior  was 
seated  in  the  stern,  and  even  from  a  considerable 
distance  one  could  detect  the  air  of  truculent  author- 
ity with  which  he  was  directing  operations. 

Tony  snapped  his  glasses  together  and  turned  to 
the  skipper. 

"I  think  I  had  better  go  down  on  the  deck,  and 
prepare  to  make  pretty  speeches, "  he  said.  "I  sup- 
pose they  will  be  able  to  come  alongside  all  right.  " 

Captain  Simmons  eyed  his  advancing  visitors  with 
an  air  of  mistrustful  calculation. 

"I  wouldn't  go  as  far  as  that,"  he  observed 
grimly,  "but  I  dare  say  they'll  manage  it  somehow 
or  other." 

"Never  mind,  "  said  Tony,  "paint's  cheap." 

He  descended  in  leisurely  fashion  to  the  deck,  and 
walked  across  to  the  starboard  side,  where  the  mem- 


Counterplotting  363 

bers  of  the  crew  had  collected  together  awaiting  the 
skipper's  orders. 

A  little  apart  from  the  others,  and  leaning  over  the 
rail,  stood  Mr.  McEwen  and  '  'Tiger"  Bugg.  For  some 
obscure  reason  these  two  had  struck  up  an  immediate 
and  firm  friendship,  with  the  result  that  Bugg  had 
spent  practically  the  entire  trip  in  the  breezy  atmos- 
phere of  the  engine-room. 

Tony  strolled  up  and  joined  them. 

"Guid-moming  to  ye,  Sir  Antony,"  observed  the 
chief  engineer  removing  his  pipe. 

' '  Good-morning,  Mr.  McEwen, "  said  Tony.  ' '  Hav- 
ing a  look  at  the  visitors?" 

There  was  a  pause. 

"I  was  wondering,"  said  Mr.  McEwen  softly, 
"whether  yon  swab  who  put  that  nine-inch  spanner 
in  my  cylinder  micht  be  amang  the  pairty.  " 

Tony  shook  his  head.  "I'm  afraid  not, "  he  replied 
regretfully. 

There  was  a  sudden  exclamation  of  interest  from 
Bugg. 

"Why,  look,  sir!  See  'im,  sir?  It's  the  cross-eyed 
bloke.     The  one  I  knocked  aht  in  Long  Acre. " 

He  pointed  excitedly  towards  the  approaching 
launch,  above  which  the  sombre  scowl  of  Colonel 
Saltero  was  now  plainly  visible  to  the  naked  eye. 

"You're  quite  right,  Bugg,"  said  Tony.  "It's 
the  same  gentleman,  but  he  is  coming  to  see  me  this 
time  in  a  nice  friendly  spirit,  so  perhaps  you  had 
better  keep  out  of  the  way.  He  mightn't  like  to  be 
reminded  of  that  push  in  the  face. " 


364         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

With  his  usual  ready  obedience  Bugg  faded  from 
the  scene,  and  as  he  did  so  the  voice  of  Captain 
Simmons  came  curtly  and  incisively  from  the  bridge. 

' '  Stand  by  with  the  fender,  and  look  out  for  our 
paint. " 

A  couple  of  the  crew,  under  the  direction  of  the 
second  officer,  hurried  to  fulfil  the  order,  while  two 
others  climbed  over  the  rail,  ready  to  drop  down  and 
assist  in  the  operation. 

Shutting  off  her  engine  as  she  approached,  the 
launch  came  swirling  round  in  a  half  circle.  There 
was  a  brief  moment  of  strained  suspense,  and  then 
skilfully  avoiding  the  fender,  she  bumped  heavily 
alongside,  in  a  fashion  that  brought  a  cry  of  anguish 
from  Captain  Simmons'  lips.  The  two  waiting  sailors 
dropped  nibly  on  to  her  deck,  and  commenced  to 
make  her  fast,  and  the  next  moment,  flushed  but 
triumphant.  Colonel  Saltero  was  mounting  the 
accommodation  ladder. 

As  he  emerged  over  the  top,  Tony  stepped  forward 
to  meet  him. 

"How  d'you  do,  Colonel?"  he  observed  in  a 
friendly  voice.     "Glad  to  see  you  again.  " 

Clicking  his  heels  together,  Colonel  Saltero  made 
him  a  stiff  military  bow. 

"Permit  me,  Sir  Antony,  "  he  replied,  "to  welcome 
you  to  Livadia. " 

"Thanks  very  much,"  said  Tony.  Then  pausing 
for  a  moment  to  allow  his  visitor  to  recover  a  per- 
pendicular position,  he  added  hospitably:  "Come 
along  down  and  have  a  whisky.  " 


Counterplotting  565 

The  invitation  did  not  seem  to  be  altogether  un- 
welcome, but  like  a  true  soldier  the  Colonel's  first 
considerations  were  evidently  for  his  duty. 

'  'You  have  brought  the  cartridges  ? "  he  demanded, 
with  a  swift  and  slightly  suspicious  glance  round  the 
deck. 

"Rather,  "  said  Tony,  "any  amount  of  'em.  "  He 
turned  to  the  second  officer  "You  had  better  start 
getting  those  boxes  on  board  the  launch  right  away," 
he  added.  ' '  Colonel  Saltero  and  I  are  going  below  to 
have  a  little  chat.  " 

He  led  the  way  down  the  companion  to  his  private 
cabin,  and  ushering  his  guest  in  closed  the  door  behind 
them. 

"Well,  you  got  Congosta's  message  all  right 
then,  "  he  said,  going  to  the  cupboard  and  getting  out 
the  whisky  and  soda.  "You  know  what  an  unholy 
mess  I've  managed  to  make  of  things. " 

The  Colonel,  who  was  standing  in  a  stiff  and 
military  attitude,  made  a  slight  gesture  of  assent. 

"Sir  Antony!"  he  said,  "I  am  a  soldier,  and  it  is 
my  habit  to  speak  plain  words.  I  will  not  hide  my 
opinion  that  with  regard  to  the  Princess  you  have 
failed  us  badly. " 

Tony  splashed  out  a  full-handed  allowance  of  old 
Glenlivet  and  sprinkled  it  carefully  with  soda. 

"Go  on,"  he  said  encouragingly.  "Say  exactly 
what  you  like. ' ' 

He  handed  the  glass  to  the  Colonel,  who  took  a 
long  and  apparently  satisfactory  drink. 

"At  the  same  time,"   continued   the   latter,    "I 


366         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

do  not  wish  to  be  ungrateful.  If  what  Sefior  Con- 
gosta  tells  me  is  true,  you  have  done  your  best  to 
make  up  for  your  fault.  These  cartridges — "  he  set 
down  the  empty  tumbler — "  these  cartridges,  which  I 
understand  you  have  presented  to  the  army,  may  yet 
be  the  means  of  saving  Livadia.  " 

"That's  good,"  observed  Tony.  "But  how  are 
you  going  to  get  them  to  Portriga? " 

The  Colonel  made  a  gesture  with  his  hand.  ' '  There 
is  no  difficulty.  The  river  which  you  see  runs  up 
within  two  miles  of  the  town,  and  both  banks  are 
strongly  held  by  our  men.  " 

"What  about  the  people  here — the  coast-guards 
and  police  ?     Are  they  on  your  side  ? ' ' 

Colonel  Saltero  smiled  sombrely.  "There  are  no 
coast-guards  left,  "  he  said.  "As  for  the  police —  "  he 
shrugged  his  shoulders — "some  say  that  the  officer 
in  command  here  is  a  friend  of  Da  Freitas,  but  I  do 
not  think  he  will  interfere  with  us.  " 

Tony  stretched  out  his  hand,  and  picking  up  his 
guest's  empty  glass  commenced  to  refill  it. 

"That  sounds  all  right  as  far  as  it  goes,"  he  re- 
marked; "but  it  seems  to  me  we  are  up  against 
another  pretty  stiff  problem.  If  Pedro  marries  the 
Princess'  as  I  suppose  he  will,  it  rather  knocks  the 
bottom  out  of  your  game — doesn't  it  ?  " 

For  a  moment  the  Colonel  hesitated.  Despite  the 
gift  of  the  cartridges,  some  faint  suspicion  of  Tony's 
entire  good  faith  seemed  still  to  linger  in  his  mind. 

"We  are  not  without  our  plans,  "  he  replied  cau- 
tiously. 


Counterplotting  367 

Without  appearing  to  notice  the  impHed  mis- 
trust Tony  filled  the  tumbler  and  handed  it  back  to 
him. 

"Of  course  not,"  he  remarked  cheerfully.  "You 
and  Senor  Congosta  are  not  the  sort  of  people  to 
leave  things  to  chance.  I  was  only  wondering  if  I 
couldn't  be  of  any  further  help  to  you.  It  was  all 
my  fault  the  Princess  was  captured,  and  I  want  to 
do  everything  I  can  to  make  up  for  it.  " 

This  frank  and  simple  speech,  or  else  a  second 
long  draught  of  Glenlivet  which  the  Colonel  promptly 
poured  down  his  throat,  seemed  to  have  a  slightly 
mellowing  effect  upon  that  reserved  warrior. 

"We  have  a  plan,  "  he  repeated,  "but  I  will  admit 
to  you,  Sir  Antony,  that  there  is  much  danger.  Even 
now  it  is  known  everywhere  that  the  Princess  is  in 
Da  Freitas'  hands,  and  already  there  are  those  who 
say  'what  is  the  use  of  more  fighting?'  If  we 
had  money ' ' 

"Money!"  exclaimed  Tony.  "My  dear  chap, 
why  didn't  you  say  so  before?"  He  crossed  again 
to  the  cupboard,  and  stooping  down  took  out  two  fat 
white  bags,  which  he  placed  upon  the  table  with  an 
agreeable  chink. 

"I  thought  it  just  possible  you  might  be  short  of 
cash,  "  he  explained,  "so  I  brought  a  couple  of  thou- 
sand along  with  me. " 

The  Colonel's  eyes  glistened. 

"In  gold?"  he  asked  hoarsely. 

Tony  loosened  the  mouth  of  one  of  the  bags,  and 
tipped  out  a  little  shining  stream  of  yellow  coins. 


368         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"All  in  the  best  English  sovereigns,"  he  said, 
gathering  them  up  and  replacing  them  again.  Then, 
with  a  graceful  gesture,  he  pushed  both  bags  across 
the  table.  "Take  them,  Colonel,"  he  added. 
"Take  them  from  mc  as  a  small  gift  towards  the 
freedom  of  Livadia. " 

For  a  moment  the  Colonel  was  too  overcome  to 
speak. 

"Sir  Antony,"  he  exclaimed  at  last,  "you  must 
give  me  your  pardon.  Congosta  was  right  in  what 
he  said.  I  did  you  a  great  wrong  in  ever  doubt- 
ing your  honour. "  He  raised  his  half  empty  glass. 
"I  drink,"  he  said,  "to  the  saviour  of  my 
country. " 

Tony  bowed.  "That,"  he  replied,  "is  a  title 
which  I  think  already  belongs  to  you — or  Senor 
Congosta." 

There  was  a  dramatic  pause,  and  then  the  Colonel 
set  down  his  glass. 

"I  will  tell  you, "  he  said  bluntly,  "what  it  is  that 
we  propose  to  do.  It  is  right  that  you  should  know. ' ' 
With  an  instinctive  glance  round  the  cabin,  as  if  to 
make  quite  certain  that  there  were  no  eavesdroppers, 
he  advanced  towards  the  table.  "In  the  afternoon, 
yesterday,"  he  went  on, "Pedro  and  Da  Freitas  landed 
in  Portriga.  They  have  brought  the  Princess  and 
the  Count  de  Se  with  them.  Already  there  are 
notices,  placed  up  all  over  the  town,  saying  that  on 
Sunday  morning  the  marriage  will  take  place  in  the 
Cathedral. " 

Tony  looked  at  him  with  an  expression  of  amaze- 


Counterplotting  369 

ment.  "I  say!"  he  exclaimed.  "They  haven't 
wasted  much  time. " 

"  It  is  not  in  the  way  of  Da  Freitas  to  waste  time, " 
agreed  the  Colonel. 

For  a  moment  Tony  remained  silent.  "Well,  what 
are  you  going  to  do  ?"  he  asked.  "It  seems  to  me  that 
unless  you  can  stop  this  interesting  little  arrange- 
ment the  whole  thing's  finished.  You  can't  expect 
people  to  go  on  fighting  for  a  queen  who's  already 
on  the  throne. " 

Saltero  came  a  step  closer  still.  ' '  There  will  be  no 
wedding, "  he  said  grimly.  "By  ten  o'clock  to-night 
the  Princess  will  be  in  our  hands. " 

He  paused,  as  if  to  allow  the  statement  time  to 
sink  in. 

Tony  indulged  in  a  low  whistle.  "By  Jove!"  he 
exclaimed.     ' '  How  are  you  going  to  work  it  ? " 

Once  more  the  Colonel  glanced  round  the  cabin, 
and  then  sunk  his  voice  to  a  kind  of  low  rumble, 
which  was  apparently  as  near  as  he  could  get  to  a 
whisper. 

"We  have  found  out  that  the  Princess  has  been 
taken  to  the  Chateau  of  Saint  Anna.  It  is  in  the 
mountains,  ten  miles  from  Portriga.  The  Count  de 
Saint  Anna  is  an  old  friend  of  Pedro's  father.  " 

"Are  you  going  to  attack  the  place ? "  Tony  put 
the  question  quite  quietly,  though  his  fingers  had 
tightened  a  little  upon  the  cigarette  that  he  was 
holding. 

The  Colonel  shook  his  head.  "It  is  impossible. 
There  is  only  one  road  up  through  the  hills,  and  all 


370         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

the  approaches  to  it  are  held  by  Da  Freitas'  soldiers. 
A  hundred  men  could  defend  it  against  an  army." 

"It  sounds  a  bit  awkward,  "  said  Tony. 

Colonel  Saltero  smiled  malevolently.  "It  is  our 
good  fortune,"  he  continued,  "to  have  had  further 
information.  We  have  learned  that  at  nine  o'clock 
to-night  the  Princess  will  be  brought  into  the  town 
in  order  that  she  may  be  ready  for  the  ceremony  in 
the  morning.  Doubtless  there  will  be  an  escort — 
a  strong  escort,  but  all  the  same — "  he  paused  and 
his  grey  eyes  narrowed  into  a  couple  of  dangerous 
looking  slits — "I  do  not  think  that  they  will  ever 
reach  Portriga.  I  do  not  think  that  they  will  get 
further  than  the  bridge  at  Valona.  " 

Tony  laid  down  his  cigarette.  ' '  I  hope  you  will  be 
careful  if  there's  going  to  be  a  scrap, "  he  said  anx- 
iously. "I  shouldn't  like  anything  to  happen  to 
Isabel.     She  seemed  rather  a  nice  girl." 

The  Colonel  drew  himself  up  a  little  stiffly.  ' '  Our 
plans  have  been  well  made,"  he  replied.  "There 
will  be  no  danger  to  the  Princess.  By  ten  o'clock 
she  will  be  safe  with  General  Almaida.  " 

There  was  another  and  longer  pause. 

"If  it  comes  off, "  observed  Tony  slowly,  "it  will 
be  a  nasty  jar  for  Pedro  and  Da  Freitas. " 

Once  again  the  Colonel  smiled  viciously.  ' '  It  will 
be  the  end,"  he  said.  "Da  Freitas  has  staked 
everything  upon  this  marriage,  and  if  he  cannot 
bring  forward  the  Princess  on  Sunday,  the  whole 
country  will  know  that  they  have  been  deceived. 
There  will  be  risings  and  riots  everywhere:  even  his 


Counterplotting  371 

own  soldiers  will  turn  against  him.  Then  we  shall 
attack  again,  and  this  time  there  will  be  no  going 
back.  Before  night  comes,  Isabella  will  be  Queen 
of  Livadia. " 

He  stooped  forward,  and  gathering  up  the  two 
bags  of  gold  stepped  back  from  the  table. 

"Well,  it's  very  good  of  you  to  have  told  me  all 
this,  "  said  Tony  gratefully.  "It  has  made  me  feel 
much  more  comfortable  in  my  mind. "  He  laid  his 
hand  upon  the  whisky  bottle.  ' '  Have  another  drink 
before  we  go  up?"  he  suggested. 

The  Colonel  shook  his  head  with  some  regret. 

"I  thank  you,  no,"  he  said.  "There  are  many 
things  to  do,  and  the  time  is  short.  With  your 
permission  we  will  return  to  the  deck. " 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE   SOLUTION 

"And  that,  "  said  Tony,  leaning  back  in  his  chair, 
"is  absolutely  every  damned  thing  that  I  could  get 
out  of  him. " 

His  three  companions,  Molly,  Guy,  and  Jimmy, 
who  were  seated  in  various  attitudes  round  the  cabin 
table,  surveyed  him  for  a  moment  in  deep  and 
reflective  silence. 

Then  Guy  cleared  his  throat.  "On  the  whole," 
he  said,  "I  think  you  have  managed  remarkably 
well." 

' '  I  did  my  best, ' '  replied  Tony  modestly,  ' '  but  he's 
a  reticent  blighter  for  a  Colonel.  I  didn't  dare  pump 
him  any  further  for  fear  that  he  might  get  suspicious. 
As  it  is  I  think  he  was  half  sorry  he  had  told  me  as 
much  as  he  had  before  I  got  him  over  the  side.  " 

"Well,  we've  collected  quite  a  lot  of  interesting 
stuff  to  go  on  with, ' '  said  Jimmy  contentedly.  ' '  The 
great  question  is  how  are  we  going  to  use  it  ? " 

"Do  you  know  where  these  two  places  are?" 
asked  Tony.  ' '  The  Chateau  of  Saint  Anna — and  the 
bridge  at  Valona  ? " 

Jimmy  nodded.     "Both  of   'em.     There  isn't  a 

372 


The  Solution  373 

yard  of  this  country  I  haven't  tootled  over  at  some 
time  or  other."  He  looked  hopefully  at  Tony. 
' '  Have  you  got  any  bright  notion  at  the  back  of  your 
mind?" 

' '  Not  yet, ' '  said  Tony.  '  *  I  haven't  had  the  chance 
of  working  things  out.  That's  what  I've  called  this 
Cabinet  Council  for."  He  turned  to  his  cousin. 
"What  do  you  think  about  it,  Guy?"  he  asked. 
"You're  the  eldest,  so  you  shall  speak  first.  " 

"It  seems  to  me,"  said  Guy  deliberately,  "that 
there  is  not  the  fainest  chance  of  rescuing  Isabel, 
except  by  the  employment  of  violence. ' ' 

There  was  a  soft  and  delighted  chuckle  from 
Jimmy  to  which  he  paid  no  attention. 

"That  being  so,"  he  continued  calmly,  "the 
question  resolves  itself  into  where  and  how  we  should 
make  the  attempt.  As  far  as  I  can  see  there  is  only 
one  answer.  If  we  can  reach  Valona,  it's  just  possi- 
ble that  in  the  confusion  of  this  attack  one  or  other  of 
us  might  manage  to  get  away  with  Isabel.  Of  course 
it's  much  more  likely  that  we  shall  all  be  killed,  but  if 
one  chooses  to  mix  oneself  up  in  this  sort  of  insane 
business  that  is  an  objection  which  one  must  be 
prepared  to  face. " 

He  closed  his  lips  tight  in  their  customary  precise 
line,  and  looked  round  at  the  assembled  company. 

"Thank  you,  Guy,  "  said  Tony.  "That's  just  the 
sort  of  spirited  speech  I  should  have  expected  from 
one  of  your  aggressive  character."  He  paused. 
"Now,  Jimmy,  what  have  you  got  to  say?" 

Jimmy  rose  solemnly  to  his  feet.     "I  have  much 


374         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

pleasure,"  he  observed,  "in  seconding  the  proposal 
of  our  honourable  friend.  I'm  for  a  forward  policy 
every  time."  He  looked  across  the  table.  "How 
about  the  Reverend  Mr.  Monk?"  he  added.  "It 
seems  to  me  we  ought  to  have  asked  his  opinion 
first." 

"I  think,"  said  Molly  sweetly  and  clearly,  "that 
it's  just  about  the  silliest  suggestion  I  ever  heard." 

Guy  sat  up  suddenly  in  his  chair,  and  Jimmy,  who 
was  still  standing  on  his  feet,  broke  into  another  long 
chuckle  of  laughter. 

Tony  rapped  the  table  gravely  with  a  teaspoon. 

"Order,  please,  "  he  said,  "order!  This  is  no  time 
for  misplaced  merriment."  He  turned  to  Molly. 
"Don't  worry  about  Guy's  feelings,"  he  added 
kindly.     "Say  exactly  what  you  think.  " 

"I'm  going  to,"  replied  Molly  with  brisk  deter- 
mination. "I'm  awfully  sorry  if  I  was  rude  to  you, 
Mr.  Oliver;  but  really  you  know  your  plan's  a  rotter. 
Do  you  suppose  that  even  if  we  got  to  Valona,  these 
people  would  allow  us  to  hang  about  there  waiting 
for  something  to  happen  ?  Why,  they  would  guess 
what  we  were  up  to  the  very  moment  they  spotted 
us." 

"But  we  know  the  time,  roughly,"  protested 
Jimmy.  "We  could  arrange  to  reach  the  place  just 
when  the  fighting  started.  " 

"And  what  then?"  demanded  Molly  scornfully. 
"Here  you've  got  a  large  party  of  armed  men,  who 
are  cheerfully  ready  to  murder  a  whole  escort  in  order 
to  get  hold  of  this  girl.     Do  you  really  imagine  they 


The  Solution  375 

are  going  to  let  us  waltz  in  and  pick  her  up  under 
their  noses  ?     Not  likely ! ' ' 

She  stopped  to  take  breath. 

"I  thought  I  had  made  it  clear,  "  remarked  Guy  a 
little  chillingly,  "that  I  didn't  regard  the  suggestion 
as  a  very  safe  or  hopeful  one. ' ' 

"You  did,"  said  Molly,  "but  you  didn't  go  half 
far  enough.  It's  a  dead  certain  frost  from  the  very 
start.  We  should  just  be  committing  suicide  with- 
out doing  any  good  to  anybody.  " 

Guy  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "I  daresay  you're 
right.  The  unfortunate  point  is  that  there's  no 
alternative. " 

Molly  leaned  forward,  her  blue  eyes  shining  with 
excitement. 

"Yes,  there  is,  "  she  said  quietly. 

For  an  instant  nobody  spoke. 

' '  Go  on ,  Molly, ' '  said  Tony .  ' '  We  are  all  listening 
to  you. " 

"If  we  can  get  to  Valona, "  said  Molly,  speaking 
in  a  rapid  and  eager  voice,  "what  is  there  to  stop 
us  getting  to  the  other  place — the  Chateau  of  Saint 
Anna?" 

There  was  another  and  longer  pause. 

"Good  Lord!"  remarked  Jimmy,  and  with  this 
non-committal  observation  he  reseated  himself  at 
the  table. 

"Well?"  continued  Molly  defiantly.  "We  can't 
do  anything  without  running  a  big  risk,  so  while 
we're  about  it  we  may  just  as  well  shove  all  our 
money  on  the  best  chance.  " 


376         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"But  surely,"  protested  Guy,  "if  there  is  an 
utterly  hopeless " 

"Let  Molly  explain,"  said  Tony.  "We  can 
criticize  her  afterwards. " 

Once  again  there  was  a  brief  silence. 

"It's  like  this,"  said  Molly.  "At  the  present 
moment,  so  far  as  we  know,  there  isn't  a  soul  on 
Peter's  side  who  has  the  remotest  notion  that  we're  in 
Livadia.  That's  our  strongest  card,  and  if  we  don't 
play  it  for  all  it's  worth  we  shall  be  simply  chucking 
the  game  away."  She  wheeled  round  on  Jimmy. 
"Where  is  this  Chateau,  exactly?"  she  asked. 
"Can  you  get  to  it  from  here  in  your  car  with- 
out going  through  Portriga  or  the  other  place — 
Valona?" 

Jimmy  nodded.  "We  should  turn  off  the  main 
road  up  into  the  hills  about  five  miles  from  here. 
The  car  would  manage  it  all  right,  but  as  for 
getting  there — "  he  grinned  cheerfully — "well, 
from  what  the  Colonel  told  Tony,  I  should  think 
we  had  about  as  much  chance  as  a  snowflake  in 
hell." 

"You  needn't  worry  about  that  part  of  it," 
returned  Molly  coolly.  "So  long  as  you  know  the 
road  you  can  leave  the  rest  to  me."  She  put  her 
hand  into  her  breast  pocket,  and  produced  the  thick 
and  impressive  looking  half  sheet  of  note-paper, 
which  she  had  shown  Tony  in  the  fiat.  "If  that 
won't  get  us  past  a  few  soldiers,  "  she  added,  throwing 
it  on  the  table,  ' '  we  may  as  well  turn  the  boat  round 
now  and  go  straight  home.  " 


The  Solution  377 

"By  Jove!"  exclaimed  Tony.  "I  believe  you've 
got  hold  of  the  right  idea,  Molly!" 

Guy  looked  from  one  to  the  other  of  them  in  a 
sort  of  baffled  bewilderment. 

"I  may  be  very  stupid,"  he  said,  "but  I  can't 
see  in  the  least  what  you  hope  to  do  even  if  we  reach 
the  Chateau. " 

Molly  drew  in  a  long  breath.  "There's  only  one 
thing  to  do,"  she  said  slowly.  "  Somehow  or  other 
this  Princess  girl  and  I  have  got  to  change  places. 
There's  absolutely  no  other  way  in  which  we  can 
possibly  work  it. " 

If  she  had  suddenly  placed  a  live  bomb  upon  the 
table,  Guy's  face  could  hardly  have  assumed  a  more 
startled  expression.  Even  Jimmy,  who  did  not  seem 
to  be  easily  perturbed,  remained  staring  at  her  for  a 
moment  with  his  mouth  open. 

"Change  places!"  repeated  Guy  at  last.  "Are 
you  speaking  seriously?" 

"Of  course  I  am,  "  said  Molly  a  little  impatiently. 
*  *  Don't  you  see  how  easily  it  could  be  done  ?  Accord- 
ing to  what  you  all  tell  me,  this  girl  and  I  are  as  like 
each  other  as  two  peas :  but  no  one  would  guess  that 
if  they'd  only  seen  me  in  this  rig-out.  Well,  if  I 
could  get  a  quarter  of  an  hour  alone  with  her,  all  we 
should  have  to  do  would  be  to  swap  clothes,  and  then 
she  could  just  walk  out  of  the  place  instead  of  me.  " 
She  swept  a  triumphant  glance  at  the  others.  "It's 
a  hundred  to  one  nobody  would  notice  the  difference : 
not  if  she's  got  the  pluck  and  sense  to  carry  it  off 
properly." 


37^         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"I  can  guarantee  the  pluck  and  the  sense,  "  said 
Tony.  "They  are  two  things  in  which  Isabel  hap- 
pens to  specialize  rather  deeply. " 

"But  do  you  mean  you  arc  ready  to  stop  behind  in 
her  place?" 

It  was  Jimmy  who  put  the  question. 

"Certainly  I  am, "  replied  Molly.  "That's  what 
I  have  come  out  here  for.  " 

He  gazed  at  her  for  a  moment  in  voiceless  ad- 
miration. 

"My  Lord,  you've  got  some  nerve,"  he  said. 
"What  do  you  think  will  happen  to  you  ? ' ' 

Molly  smiled  pleasantly.  "I  think,"  she  an- 
swered, "that  I  shall  be  respectably  and  properly 
married  to  Peter  in  the  Portriga  Cathedral.  I  don't 
see  what  the  devil  else  they  can  afford  to  do.  They 
have  got  to  have  a  wedding,  and  as  I'm  quite  ready  to 
pretend  that  I'm  the  Princess,  and  nobody's  ever 
likely  to  contradict  it,  it  seems  to  me  they'll  jolly  well 
have  to  make  the  best  of  it.  " 

Tony  laid  down  his  cigarette  and  leaned  back  in 
his  chair. 

"Molly,  "  he  said,  "you  are  as  brilliant  as  you  are 
beautiful.  I  don't  believe  there  is  any  one  else  alive 
who  could  have  thought  of  a  notion  like  that  when 
they  were  full  of  eggs  and  bacon.  " 

"It's  a  terrific  idea,  "  admitted  Jimmy,  still  gazing 
respectfully  at  the  author.  ' '  The  one  great  difficulty 
will  be  to  fix  up  this  interview  between  you  and  the 
Princess. " 

Molly  nodded.     "I  know,  "  she  said.     "I  haven't 


The  Solution  379 

got  that  part  of  it  clear  yet.  You  see  the  whole 
thing  only  came  into  my  head  quite  suddenly.  " 

"That  part  of  it,"  remarked  Tony  in  his  tran- 
quil voice,  "seems  to  me  delightfully  simple  and 
easy. " 

They  all  three  turned  towards  him. 

"We  are  personal  friends  of  Peter's, "  he  went  on; 
"at  least  I  am.  I  think  I  shall  call  myself  Lord 
Haverstock.  It's  a  very  nice  title  and  no  one's 
taken  it  yet.     Do  you  think  it  suits  me,  Guy  ? '  * 

"Oh,  go  on,"  exclaimed  Guy  impatiently. 

"At  Peter's  suggestion,  "  continued  Tony,  "I  have 
accompanied  him  from  England  in  my  own  yacht, 
in  order  to  be  in  at  the  death,  so  to  speak.  Molly 
here  is  my  chaplain.  All  really  respectable  English 
peers  travel  with  a  private  chaplain. " 

He  paused  as  if  for  confirmation. 

"I've  no  doubt  you're  right,  "  said  Jimmy  gravely, 
"but  how  does  that  interesting  fact  help  us?" 

"Why,  don't  you  see  ?  Isabel  has  been  brought  up 
with  English  ideas  about  these  sort  of  things,  and  it's 
surely  only  natural  that  she  should  feel  a  little  upset 
at  the  thought  of  being  married  so  suddenly,  and 
without  any  of  her  old  friends  to  help  her.  She  has 
told  Peter  that  if  it  was  possible  she  would  like  to 
have  a  talk  with  an  English  clergyman,  and  knowing 
that  I  have  got  the  Reverend  Mr.  Monk  on  board, 
Peter  has  suggested  that  I  should  take  him  along  to 
the  Chateau.  Of  course,  for  various  reasons,  he  didn't 
want  a  fuss  made  about  it,  so  he  has  just  given  me  his 
own  private  pass,  and  told  me  to  explain  the  rest 


380        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

to  the  Count  of  Saint  Anna.  What  could  be  more 
beautifully  simple  and  probable?" 

Molly  clapped  her  hands  softly.  "Splendid, 
Tony!"  she  said.     "Absolutely  splendid!" 

"And  suppose,  "  remarked  Guy  in  his  depressingly 
matter-of-fact  voice,  "that  the  first  person  we  run 
into  at  the  Chateau  is  Isabel's  uncle  or  the  Marquis 
da  Freitas  or  the  King  himself.  What's  going  to 
happen  then?" 

"I  don't  know  exactly,  "  said  Tony,  "but  I  should 
say  that  in  all  probability  there  will  be  the  hell  of  a 
row. " 

"It's  no  good  worrying  about  that,"  said  Molly 
decisively.  "We've  got  to  chance  something,  and 
the  odds  are  that  all  three  of  them  will  be  down  in 
Portriga.  I  imagine  that  that's  why  they've  sent 
the  girl  to  this  place — in  order  to  have  their  hands 
free. " 

Tony  nodded  his  agreement.  "There's  a  lot  of 
hard  work  about  running  a  revolution,  "  he  observed. 
"I  shouldn't  think  they  would  be  able  to  spare  any- 
body this  morning. " 

Molly  looked  round  at  the  other  two.  "Well," 
she  said,  "Tony  and  I  have  made  up  our  minds  at 
all  events.     Are  you  ready  to  back  us  up  ? " 

There  was  a  pause. 

"I  will  do  anything  I  can,"  remarked  Guy 
simply. 

Jimmy  leaned  back  and  thrust  his  hands  into  his 
trouser  pockets. 

' '  So  will  I ,  of  course, ' '  he  said.     * '  The  only  thing  I 


I 


The  Solution  381 

don't  like  about  it  is  leaving  you  behind.  Suppose 
they  turn  nasty  when  they  find  out? " 

Molly  smiled  at  him  comfortingly.  "That's  all 
right,"  she  said.  "Peter  has  got  his  weak  points, 
but  if  any  one  was  to  hurt  the  tip  of  my  little  finger  he 
would  have  the  last  drop  of  blood  they've  got.  Da 
Freitas  knows  that  as  well  as  I  do.  " 

"I'm  glad  to  hear  he  appreciates  you, ' '  said  Jimmy 
with  feeling.  "You  are  much  too  good  for  him." 
He  hesitated.  "Look  here,"  he  added  suddenly, 
'  'suppose  he's  killed,  suppose  somebody  shoots  him — 
it's  quite  possible  you  know — will  you  come  back  to 
England  and  marry  me?" 

Molly  broke  into  a  little  ripple  of  silvery  laughter. 

"I  daresay  I  might,  "  she  said.  "Anyhow,  it's  nice 
to  have  something  to  fall  back  on  in  case  one  wants 
it." 

"I  hate  to  interrupt  a  really  passionate  love 
affair,"  observed  Tony  apologetically,  "but  don't 
you  think  we  ought  to  discuss  our  arrangements — 
such  as  they  are?  We  haven't  too  much  time  to 
spare. " 

"Well,  they're  pretty  straight  sailing,  aren't 
they?"  replied  Jimmy.  "There's  plenty  of  petrol 
in  the  car,  so  all  we've  got  to  do  is  to  go  ashore  and 
start  off." 

"Who's  we?"  demanded  Molly.  "You  and  I 
and  Tony?" 

"Can't  I  come  too?"  inquired  Guy  in  a  rather 
disappointed  voice.  "  I  'm  quite  ready  to  do  my  share 
— whatever  it  is?" 


382        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Tony  got  uj)  from  where  he  was  sitting  and  laid  a 
symi)athctic  hand  on  his  cousin's  shoulder. 

"I  know  that,  Guy, "  he  said.  "I  know  that  you 
would  cut  the  throats  of  half  Livadia  if  it  would  help 
Isabel  in  any  way.  The  point  is  that  we  can't  afford 
to  do  any  fighting  this  trip.  We  have  got  to  bring  it 
off  i)eacefully,  if  we  bring  it  off  at  all,  and  it's  quite 
possible  that  the  real  danger  will  be  at  this  end,  and 
not  at  the  Chateau.  I  told  you  what  Saltero  said 
about  the  police  here.  Well,  don't  you  see,  if  they 
chose  to  interfere  they  might  put  the  hat  on  every- 
thing. I  want  you  to  take  charge  while  we're  away, 
and  whatever  happens — even  if  you  have  to  murder 
every  policeman  in  the  town — there  must  be  a  nice 
comfy  boat  awaiting  us  when  we  get  back.  " 

Guy  nodded  grimly.  "Very  well,  "  he  said;  "you 
can  count  on  that,  if  they're  any  of  us  left  alive!" 


CHAPTER    XXII 

GETTING   ACCESS  TO    ISABEL 

It  was  almost  exactly  half  an  hour  later,  when  the 
Betty's  gig,  skilfully  piloted  by  the  second  officer, 
drew  up  alongside  the  jetty.  Tony,  Jimmy,  and 
Molly  scrambled  out  in  turn — the  latter  carrying  a 
small  prayer-book  in  her  hand  and  lending  a  pleasant 
air  of  respectability  to  the  party. 

Braxa  still  lay  bathed  in  a  rich  tranquillity:  the 
only  other  occupants  of  the  sun-warmed  causeway 
being  a  couple  of  nondescript  gentlemen,  who  had 
been  leaning  over  the  low  rail,  watching  the  approach 
of  the  boat  and  spitting  thoughtfully  into  the  sea. 
These  two  eyed  the  new  arrivals  with  a  certain  lan- 
guid curiosity,  but  beyond  that  they  betrayed  no 
apparent  interest  in  their  proceedings. 

"It's  amazing  to  me,"  said  Tony,  looking  round, 
"that  any  one  could  have  had  the  bad  taste  to  start 
a  revolution  here.     It's  like  brawling  in  a  mortuary.  " 

"Oh,  you  mustn't  judge  Livadia  by  this  place," 
protested  Jimmy.  "There  are  enough  scoundrels  in 
Portriga  to  make  up  for  any  shortage  elsewhere." 
He  took  out  a  small  rusty  key  from  his  pocket. 
' '  Come  along, ' '  he  added.     "  If  we  hang  about  admir- 

383 


384        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

ing  the  view  we  shall  probably  have  Saltero's  police- 
men after  us. " 

He  led  the  way  down  the  jetty  towards  a  roughly 
built  wooden  shed  which  stood  a  few  yards  back  on 
the  beach,  and  unfastening  the  padlock,  threw  open 
the  door.  Inside,  amongst  a  medley  of  fishing  nets 
and  other  nautical  obstructions,  stood  a  large  travel- 
stained  motor  car  with  steel  studded  tyres.  It  was 
evidently  in  good  order,  for  it  started  with  the  first 
pull  up  of  the  handle,  and  having  seated  himself  at 
the  steering-wheel,  Jimmy  brought  it  deftly  out  on 
to  the  hard  beaten  sandy  track  which  ran  up  into  the 
main  road. 

"One  penny  all  the  way,"  he  observed  encour- 
agingly. "Any  more  for  Chancery  Lane  or  the 
Bank  of  England?" 

Tony  closed  and  locked  the  door  of  the  shed.  "I 
shall  sit  behind  with  you,  Molly,"  he  announced. 
"Then  we  can  hold  hands  under  the  rug.  " 

They  settled  themselves  comfortably  in  the  ton- 
neau,  and  starting  on  his  second  speed  Jimmy  shot 
off  up  the  beach  with  surprising  and  rather  discon- 
certing velocity. 

At  the  top  of  the  track,  where  it  joined  the  road, 
several  of  Braxa's  more  energetic  citizens  were 
sheltering  from  the  rays  of  the  sun.  As  the  car 
approached  they  all  moved  forward  in  a  desultory 
fashion  to  scan  its  occupants;  and  one  of  them,  a 
stout  gentleman  in  uniform,  with  a  sword  trailing 
by  his  side,  stepped  out  officiously  into  the  roadway 
and  held  up  his  hand. 


Getting  Access  to  Isabel  385 

If  he  was  under  the  impression  that  his  action 
would  cause  the  car  to  pull  up,  he  must  have  been 
bitterly  disappointed.  Without  faltering,  or  even 
slackening  speed,  its  driver  swerved  round  him  at  a 
distance  of  about  two  inches,  and  left  him  shouting 
and  gesticulating  wildly  in  the  centre  of  a  cloud  of 
dun  coloured  dust. 

A  few  yards  further  on,  the  road  turned  away  in- 
land, and  as  soon  as  they  had  negotiated  the  comer, 
Jimmy  glanced  back  over  his  shoulder. 

"We've  torn  it  now, "  he  observed  complacently. 
"That  was  one  of  the  policemen.  " 

Tony  nodded.  "I  thought  it  must  be,"  he  said. 
' '  He  looked  so  well  fed.  " 

"Is  there  anything  he  can  do?"  inquired  Molly; 
"except  to  try  and  arrest  the  Betty  .?  " 

' '  He  might  send  a  message  to  Portriga  asking  for 
instructions, ' '  answered  Jimmy.  ' '  It  all  depends  on 
whether  he's  got  a  suspicious  nature.  " 

He  turned  back  to  concentrate  his  attention  on  the 
steering,  for  they  were  passing  through  the  main 
street  of  Braxa,  and  one  or  two  small  carts,  with 
sleepy-looking  pairs  of  oxen  attached  to  them,  were 
straggling  amiably  about  the  roadway. 

"I'm  sorry  now  that  we  didn't  run  over  him," 
said  Molly  regretfully. 

"We  might  go  back  and  do  it,"  replied  Tony; 
"but  I  think  on  the  whole  we  had  better  trust  to 
Providence.  If  Providence  is  really  with  us  one 
policeman  can't  make  very  much  difference." 

This  argument  seemed  to  convince  Molly,  for  she 

25 


386         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

attempted  no  further  conversation  until  they  were 
clear  of  the  village,  and  travelling  rapidly  along  the 
sandy  and  ill  kept  road  which  ran  northwards  to- 
wards Portriga. 

Then,  with  a  smile,  she  turned  again  towards  Tony. 

"I'm  thinking  of  the  ambush  at  Valona, "  she 
said.  "I  hope  it's  a  nice  comfortable  one,  because 
they'll  have  to  stop  there  a  long  time  if  they  are 
going  to  wait  for  me.  " 

Tony  sat  up  suddenly  in  his  seat.  "By  Jove!" 
he  said,  slowly,  "we  never  settled  that  point,  did 
we !     What  are  you  going  to  do  about  it  ? " 

"Well,  if  things  turn  out  anything  like  right," 
returned  Molly  cheerfully,  "I  shall  simply  tell  the 
escort  that  they  had  better  find  some  other  way  of 
getting  me  into  Portriga.  I  don't  want  to  be  mixed 
up  in  a  free  fight  just  before  I'm  married."  She 
laughed  gently.  ' '  I  should  like  to  hear  what  Saltero 
says  about  you,  Tony,"  she  added.  "He'll  shove 
everything  down  to  your  account,  you  know.  " 

Tony  nodded.  ' '  I  hate  to  treat  him  like  this, ' '  he 
observed  sadly,  "but  it  really  can't  be  helped.  In  a 
big  crisis  the  lesser  virtues  always  have  to  give  way 
to  the  greater. " 

"You  must  explain  that  to  him,"  said  Molly, 
"if  you  ever  run  up  against  him  again.  It  will 
probably  console  him  quite  a  lot. " 

By  this  time  the  last  traces  of  Braxa  were  already 
some  distance  in  the  rear,  and  the  countryside  had 
assumed  that  forlorn  and  neglected  aspect  which 
forty  years  of  misgovernment  have  so  successfully 


Getting  Access  to  Isabel  387 

impressed  upon  the  greater  part  of  Northern  Livadia. 
Here  and  there  they  came  across  an  occasional  peas- 
ant woman,  slouching  along  under  a  heavy  burden: 
presumably  carrying  on  the  family  business  while 
her  lord  and  master  was  assisting  to  make  history 
in  the  Capital.  With  these  exceptions,  however,  the 
road  was  absolutely  deserted,  a  fact  of  which  Jimmy 
took  full  advantage  by  pushing  the  car  along  at  the 
utmost  limit  of  speed  which  the  deplorable  surface 
would  permit. 

The  only  relief  to  the  monotonous  landscape  was 
the  long  range  of  hills  towards  which  they  were 
steadily  making  their  way.  These  rose  sharply  in 
the  near  distance  against  the  cloudless  blue  sky,  and 
somewhere  amongst  them,  as  Tony  knew,  lay  the 
Chateau  of  Saint  Anna  and  the  goal  of  their  expedi- 
tion. 

At  last  Jimmy  slackened  down,  and  looked  round 
again  from  the  driving  seat. 

"You'd  better  get  ready  for  trouble,"  he  said. 
"The  turning's  about  half  a  mile  on  from  here,  and 
it's  a  hundred  to  one  they'll  have  a  patrol  out  at 
the  comer. " 

Tony  acknowledged  the  information  with  a  re- 
assuring wave  of  his  hand;  while  Molly,  after 
settling  herself  into  a  decorous  attitude,  opened  her 
prayer-book  at  random  and  commenced  to  study 
"The  Publick  Baptism  of  Infants"  with  a  deep  and 
absorbed  interest. 

Jimmy  proceeded  forward  at  the  same  leisurely 
pace,  until,  bit  by  bit,  the  branch  road  that  he  had 


388         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

spoken  of  crept  into  view,  turning  off  to  the  right, 
and  then  winding  its  way  u^d  through  the  hills,  like  a 
piece  of  yellowish  ribbon  dropped  down  carelessly 
from  the  sky. 

At  the  point  where  it  joined  the  main  road  stood 
a  straggling  coppice  of  stunted  oak  trees.  To  the 
unsuspicious  eye  there  was  nothing  about  it  to  sug- 
gest the  least  danger;  but  quite  suddenly,  while  the 
car  was  still  about  a  hundred  yards  distant,  the 
apparently  peaceful  prospect  underwent  a  startling 
change.  With  the  crash  and  swirl  of  breaking 
undergrowth,  a  number  of  uniformed  figures  scram- 
bled out  hastily  into  the  sunlight,  and  running  for- 
ward with  their  rifles  in  their  hands,  formed  up  into 
an  irregular  cordon  across  the  roadway. 

It  was  a  well  planned  manoeuvre,  for  even  if  the 
occupants  of  the  car  had  wished  to  escape,  it  would 
have  been  practically  impossible  for  them  to  do  so. 
As  it  was  Jimmy  thrust  on  his  brake  and  slowed  down 
immediately  Into  a  mere  crawl.  Then  turning  round 
to  Tony  he  observed  with  an  air  of  respectful  apology : 
"I'm  afraid  we  shall  have  to  pull  up,  Lord  Haver- 
stock.  I  expect  they  have  got  the  steam-roller  at 
work  round  the  corner. 

Before  Tony  could  reply,  a  savage-looking  gentle- 
man, who  appeared  to  be  an  officer,  detached  himself 
from  the  rest,  and  barked  out  some  instruction  In  a 
hoarse  and  unintelligible  voice,  then  followed  by 
several  subordinates,  all  gripping  their  rifles  ready  for 
immediate  action,  he  strode  rapidly  forward  towards 
the  now  stationary  car. 


Getting  Access  to  Isabel  389 

Its  three  occupants  awaited  its  approach  with 
commendable  dignity.  Jimmy  sat  stiff  and  upright, 
still  holding  the  steering-wheel,  Tony  lolled  back  in 
his  seat  with  an  air  of  slightly  annoyed  boredom, 
while  Molly,  after  one  incurious  glance  at  the  situa- 
tion, had  resumed  her  interrupted  study  of  the  Pub- 
lick  Baptism  of  Infants. 

A  few  yards  distant,  the  officer,  who  at  closer 
quarters  looked  like  a  rather  dog's  eared  edition  of 
Kaiser  Wilhelm  the  Second,  halted  his  men  in  the 
roadway.  Then  advancing  by  himself  to  the  side  of 
the  car,  and  dropping  the  point  of  his  scabbard  with 
a  menacing  clink  on  the  ground,  he  addressed  him- 
self to  Jimmy. 

As  he  spoke  in  Livadian,  Tony  was  unable  to  follow 
what  he  said.  From  his  manner,  however,  it  was 
pretty  easy  to  guess  that  he  was  demanding  to  know 
who  they  were  and  what  business  had  brought  them 
into  the  neighbourhood.  It  was  also  fairly  plain 
that  he  had  made  up  his  mind  not  to  be  trifled  with, 
and  that  the  first  sign  of  any  attempt  to  escape, 
would  be  the  signal  for  a  volley  of  bullets  from  the 
soldiers. 

Jimmy  listened  in  silence,  until  the  harsh  string  of 
words  which  were  showered  at  his  head  had  come  to 
an  end.  Then  with  a  significant  glance  at  the  soldiers 
he  leaned  towards  his  questioner,  and  made  some  low 
reply  in  the  same  language.  It  evidently  had  some- 
thing to  do  with  the  inadvisability  of  treating  the 
matter  to  too  public  a  discussion,  for  after  hesitating 
a  moment,  the  officer  wheeled  round  and  ordered  his 


390         The  Lady  from  Long"  Acre 

henchmen  to  withdraw  three  paces  into  the  back- 
ground. Then,  still  looking  extremely  stem  and 
suspicious,  he  turned  back  to  Jimmy. 

Exactly  what  the  latter  said  was  of  course  as  un- 
intelligible to  Tony  as  the  previous  questions  had 
been.  It  was  evident,  however,  from  the  occasional 
introduction  of  such  phrases  as  "Lord  Haverstock  of 
London,"  and  "the  Chiteau  of  Saint  Anna,"  that 
he  was  telling  the  story  they  had  agreed  upon  in  the 
yacht  and  judging  by  his  manner  he  was  letting  off 
this  romantic  fiction  with  the  convincing  plausibility 
that  one  would  expect  from  anybody  who  for  several 
years  had  been  intimately  connected  with  the  motor 
trade. 

Of  its  effect  upon  the  officer  there  could  be  no 
doubt.  The  threatening  hostility  on  his  face  gave 
way  gradually  to  an  expression  of  surprise,  not  un- 
tinged  with  a  certain  dawning  respect,  and  when  he 
spoke  again  it  was  in  an  altogether  different  if  still 
slightly  suspicious  tone. 

For  several  minutes  the  dialogue  continued  its 
course,  and  then,  breaking  off  suddenly,  Jimmy 
leaned  back  over  the  seat,  and  addressed  himself  to 
Tony. 

"This  gentleman,"  he  said,  "is  Major  Paqueta 
of  the  King's  army.  " 

Tony  inclined  his  head  in  the  polite  if  somewhat 
haughty  fashion  of  a  true  English  nobleman — a 
salute  which  Major  Paqueta  acknowledged  by  a  stiff 
military  bow. 

"He  would  like  to  have  a  look  at   the  King's 


Getting  Access  to  Isabel  391 

letter,"  continued  Jimmy.  "I've  explained  the 
position  to  him,  but  he  has  orders  not  to  allow  any- 
one to  pass  this  corner.  " 

With  a  slight  air  of  aristocratic  condescension 
Tony  took  out  the  document  in  question  from  his 
pocket  and  handed  it  to  Jimmy,  who  in  turn  passed 
it  on  to  the  Major, 

The  gallant  soldier  unfolded  it  and  carefully 
scrutinized  its  contents.  One  could  see  from  his  face 
that  he  was  deeply  impressed,  but  even  so  there  were 
still  distinct  traces  of  doubt  and  hesitation  in  his 
manner  when  he  looked  up  and  again  addressed  him- 
self to  Jimmy. 

A  brief  discussion  followed,  and  then  once  more 
the  latter  turned  round  to  explain. 

"It's  like  this.  Lord  Haverstock.  Major  Paqueta 
believes  that  the  letter  is  genuine,  but  his  orders  are 
very  strict.  He  says  that  if  we  want  to  go  on  to  the 
Chateau  we  must  take  him  with  us.  " 

"Why,  certainly,"  replied  Tony  without  an  in- 
stant's hesitation.  "Tell  Major  Paqueta  that  I 
shall  be  delighted,  and  that  if  he  wishes  to  return 
here  we  can  give  him  a  lift  back.  At  least,"  he 
added  drily,  "I  hope  we  shall  be  able  to.  " 

Jimmy  passed  on  this  communication — or  at  all 
events  the  first  part  of  it — ^and  for  a  second  time  the 
Major  clicked  his  heels  and  genuflected  stiffly. 
Then  after  a  word  or  two  of  apparent  explanation,  he 
collected  his  three  soldiers  and  proceeded  up  the 
road  as  far  as  the  comer,  followed  at  a  dignified  pace 
by  the  car.     Here  he  handed  over  his  command  to  a 


392         1  he  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

bloodthirsty-looking  sergeant,  and  having  given  the 
latter  some  careful  instructions,  clambered  up  into 
the  front  seat  alongside  of  Jimmy. 

Turning  down  the  branch  road  the  now  personally 
conducted  expedition  sped  along  rajDidly  towards  its 
goal.  There  was  little  conversation,  for  Jimmy  was 
too  occupied  in  avoiding  the  ruts  to  return  anything 
but  the  briefest  answers  to  their  new  friend's  occa- 
sional remarks,  while  IMolly ,  despite  the  jolting  of  the 
car,  still  remained  buried  in  her  baptismal  studies. 
She  looked  up  once  at  Tony,  who  winked  at  her 
gravely,  but  this  familiarity  only  met  with  a  chilling 
clerical  reserve  that  did  not  encourage  further 
advances. 

About  every  half  mile  they  came  across  small  par- 
ties of  soldiers,  patrolling  the  road,  all  of  whom  drew 
up  across  their  path  as  they  approached.  On  each 
occasion,  however,  the  sight  of  Major  Paqueta,  sitting 
up  like  a  ramrod  in  the  front  seat,  was  sufficient  to 
insure  their  undisputed  passage :  that  obliging  gentle- 
man being  evidently  the  senior  officer  in  command  of 
the  district. 

As  the  road  gradually  began  its  ascent  into  the 
hills,  these  patrols  increased  in  numbers,  and  Tony 
realized  that  Congosta's  statement  about  the  diffi- 
culty of  rushing  the  place  by  force  was  by  no  means 
an  exaggerated  one.  A  very  small  body  of  well- 
armed  and  determined  men  could  indeed  have  held 
the  track  against  an  army  corps,  for  the  great  rock>^ 
boulders  that  towered  up  on  either  hand  afforded 
admirable  cover,  and  offered  a  ready  means  of  block- 


Getting  Access  to  Isabel  393 

ing  up  the  road  if  such  a  course  were  rendered  neces- 
sary. 

At  last,  after  about  two  miles  of  this  upward  pro- 
gress, they  came  out  over  the  crest  of  a  long  narrow 
gorge,  and  with  startling  abruptness  the  Chateau  of 
Saint  Anna  suddenly  swept  into  view.  It  stood  on 
the  summit  of  the  next  hill — a  large  castle-like  look- 
ing building  of  white  stone,  with  a  number  of  small 
attendant  cottages  straggling  down  into  the  valley 
below.  It  was  not  more  than  a  mile  distant,  and 
despite  Tony's  constitutional  calmness  a  momentary 
thrill  ran  through  his  heart  as  he  gazed  across  the 
short  intervening  space  which  was  all  that  now  sepa- 
rated him  from  Isabel. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

KIDNAPPING  THE    BRIDE 

In  a  few  minutes  they  were  mounting  the  steep 
street  which  appeared  to  be  the  only  approach  to  the 
Chateau.  The  route  was  plentifully  sprinkled  with 
soldiers,  and  from  the  cottage  doorways  on  either 
side  women  and  children  watched  the  visitors  go 
past  with  open-eyed  interest.  The  sight  of  Major 
Paqueta  on  the  front  seat  seemed  still  to  be  a  sufficient 
guarantee  to  everyone  for  their  respectability;  and 
on  they  went  through  an  avenue  of  salutes  from  the 
soldiers,  which  Tony  acknowledged  by  occasionally 
raising  his  hand  with  an  aristocratic  languor  that 
was  extremely  impressive. 

It  was  not  until  they  reached  the  main  entrance  to 
the  Chateau — a  big  stone  archway  spanned  by  a 
couple  of  iron  gates — that  any  attempt  was  made  to 
arrest  their  progress.  At  this  point  two  armed 
sentries  on  guard  stepped  forward  with  raised  bay- 
onets, and  not  wishing  to  run  any  unnecessary  risk 
of  puncture,  Jimmy  at  once  brought  the  car  to  a 
standstill.  Almost  at  the  same  moment  a  small  door 
at  the  side  was  opened  and  an  officer  in  full  uniform 
strode  out  into  the  roadway. 

394 


Kidnapping  the  Bride  395 

He  saluted  Major  Paqueta,  and  for  several  mo- 
ments the  two  of  them  remained  engaged  in  an 
animated  conversation,  the  results  of  which  appeared 
to  be  distinctly  satisfactory.  At  all  events,  on  an 
order  from  the  newcomer,  the  two  big  iron  gates 
were  pushed  slowly  open,  and  wdth  commend- 
able care  Jimmy  steered  his  way  in  under  the  arch- 
way. 

They  found  themselves  in  a  large  courtyard,  sur- 
rounded on  three  sides  by  various  portions  of  the 
Chateau,  and  decorated  in  the  centre  by  the  eques- 
trian statue  of  a  stout  gentleman,  brandishing  a 
menacing  sword  in  the  direction  of  Heaven .  Circling 
gracefully  round  this  atrocity,  Jimmy  drew  up  out- 
side the  entrance  to  the  house — a  couple  of  big  iron- 
studded  doors,  from  which  a  flight  of  stone  steps 
led  down  to  the  gravel. 

With  the  dignity  becoming  to  his  position,  Major 
Paqueta  descended  from  the  car.  Their  arrival  had 
evidently  been  observed,  for  as  he  did  so,  one  of  the 
doors  was  opened  from  inside,  and  an  elderly-looking 
steward  or  butler,  supported  by  two  assistants, 
appeared  upon  the  threshold. 

The  Major  stopped  to  make  a  remark  or  two  in 
Livadian  to  Jimmy;  then  with  another  formal  and 
apparently  apologetic  bow  to  Tony,  he  mounted  the 
steps  and  was  ushered  into  the  house. 

"He's  gone  to  see  who's  at  home,"  explained 
Jimmy,  leaning  his  elbow  on  the  back  of  the  seat. 
"He  says  he  won't  keep  us  waiting  long.  " 
Tony   nodded.     "We   have   done   our   bit,"   he 


396         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

observed  philosophically.  "It's  all  up  to  Provi- 
dence now. " 

Molly,  who  had  closed  her  prayer-book,  and  was 
sitting  beside  him  with  downcast  eyes,  squeezed  his 
hand  gently  under  the  rug. 

"Good  luck,  Tony,  "  she  said  in  a  low  voice;  "just 
in  case  we  don't  see  each  other  again.  " 

Before  Tony  could  make  any  response  the  officer 
who  had  admitted  them  through  the  gate  appeared 
suddenly  along  the  courtyard  behind  them,  and  took 
up  his  position  on  the  steps  within  earshot  of  where 
they  were  sitting.  Tony,  of  course,  did  not  know  if  he 
understood  English,  but  considering  the  somewhat 
delicate  nature  of  their  position  it  seemed  advisable 
to  avoid  any  unnecessary  risk.  He  therefore  con- 
tented himself  by  returning  Molly's  squeeze,  and  in 
tactful  silence  the  three  of  them  waited  for  the  next 
development. 

It  was  not  long  in  arriving.  Once  more  the  big 
portal  swung  back,  and  Major  Paqueta,  with  the 
pompous-looking  steward  in  attendance,  came 
down  the  steps  and  addressed  a  few  words  to 
Jimmy. 

The  latter  climbed  down  from  his  seat,  and  with- 
out waiting  for  the  assistance  of  the  steward,  opened 
the  back  door  of  the  car. 

"We  are  to  go  in,  "  he  announced  with  superb  cool- 
ness. "The  Count  of  Saint  Anna  is  prepared  to 
receive  us.  " 

Throwing  back  the  rug,  Tony  and  Molly  followed 
him  out,  the  latter  still  keeping  her  eyes  down,  and 


Kidnapping  the  Bride  397 

holding  the  prayer-book  before  her  in  a  conspicuous 
position. 

Preceded  by  the  steward  and  Major  Paqueta  they 
ascended  the  steps,  and  entered  a  lofty  hall  lit  by  a 
glass  dome  and  set  around  with  marble  pillars. 
Behind  these  were  a  number  of  tall  mahogany  doors 
leading  into  the  various  apartments.  On  either  side 
of  one  of  them,  which  was  open,  stood  the  two  foot- 
men in  rigid  immobility,  and  between  this  expression- 
less pair  of  statues  their  guide  conducted  them  into  a 
large,  handsomely  furnished  room,  where  an  elderly 
gentleman  in  a  frock-coat  was  standing  by  a  writing- 
table,  waiting  to  receive  them. 

The  Count  of  Saint  Anna,  for  it  was  evidently  their 
host  who  faced  them,  bowed  courteously  at  their  en- 
trance. He  was  an  amiable-looking  old  boy  with 
gold  spectacles  and  a  long  white  moustache  carefully 
waxed  at  the  ends.  From  this  demeanour  at  all 
events  there  was  no  hint  of  any  hostility  or  suspicion 
towards  his  visitors,  and  Tony  felt  a  momentary  wave 
of  relief  that  since  her  arrival  in  Livadia  Isabel  should 
have  been  in  such  apparently  good-natured  hands. 

As  soon  as  the  door  was  closed  the  Count  cleared 
his  throat  and  commenced  to  speak. 

"Gentlemen,"  he  observed  in  very  painstaking 
English:  "I  have  the  pleasure  to  make  your  know- 
ledge. Major  Paqueta  says  that  you  carry  a  letter 
from  His  Majesty  the  King,  and  that  you  wish  to 
speak  with  me  privately  on  a  matter  of  much  im- 
portance. " 

Tony  bowed,  and  stepping  forward, again  produced 


39^  I  lie  Lady  froiii    Lon<j^  Acre 

the  invaluable  scrap  of  paper  which  had  been  re- 
turned to  him  by  the  Major.  The  old  gentleman 
accepted  it,  and  having  adjusted  his  spectacles  read 
it  through  with  extreme  care.  The  perusal  could  not 
really  have  occupied  him  more  than  a  minute,  but 
to  three  of  those  present  it  seemed  to  be  the  most 
prolonged  and  poignant  minute  ever  extracted  from 
the  womb  of  time.  At  last,  however,  he  looked  up 
again,  and  with  infinite  relief  they  saw  that  the  charm 
had  worked. 

"I  will  speak  with  these  gentlemen  in  private,  "  he 
said,  addressing  himself  to  Major  Paqueta.  "This 
is  undoubtedly  the  writing  of  His  Majesty.  " 

It  seemed  from  the  Major's  face  as  if  he  were 
slightly  disappointed  by  this  abrupt  dismissal,  but 
like  a  true  disciplinarian  he  accepted  the  situation 
without  remonstrance.  Bowing  again  stiffly,  he 
wheeled  round  and  marched  to  the  door  and  the 
next  moment  the  four  of  them  were  alone. 

The  Count  motioned  his  guests  to  be  seated. 

"I  understand,  "  he  said,  "that  there  is  one  of  you 
gentlemen  who  is  able  to  speak  our  language.  It 
would  be  best  perhaps  if  he  should  explain.  I  have 
a  small  knowledge  of  English,  but  it  is  not  good  to 
listen  with. " 

Tony  turned  to  Jimmy.  "Go  ahead,  James,  "  he 
said  encouragingly.  ' '  Tell  the  Count  of  Saint  Anna 
exactly  what  the  King  has  asked  us  to  do.  " 

With  that  easy  assurance  that  had  won  him  his 
chequered  way  through  the  world,  Jimmy  sert  about 
his  task.     He  had  one  of  those  happily  constituted 


Kidnapping  the  Bride  399 

natures  (so  frequent  amongst  prominent  statesmen 
and  successful  men  of  business)  which  enables  its 
possessor  to  become  automatically  more  convincing 
the  further  he  departs  from  the  truth.  Unintelli- 
gible as  his  actual  words  were  to  Tony,  there  was  a 
ring  of  sincerity  about  them  which  filled  the  latter 
with  intense  admiration,  and  made  him  feel  that 
much  as  he  had  always  appreciated  Jimmy,  he  had 
up  till  that  moment  failed  to  do  him  complete 
justice. 

The  Count  on  his  part  appeared  to  be  deeply 
impressed.  He  followed  Jimmy's  trail  of  lies  with 
the  closest  attention,  occasionally  interjecting  a 
question,  and  nodding  his  head  with  grave  satisfac- 
tion over  the  answers  that  were  immediately  forth- 
coming. It  was  an  entertaining  spectacle,  and  but 
for  the  stake  at  issue,  and  an  uncomfortable  sensation 
that  every  minute  added  to  their  danger,  Tony  would 
have  felt  quite  sorry  when  it  came  to  an  end. 

Throughout  the  recital  Molly  remained  very  un- 
obtrusively in  the  background.  She  had  seated 
herself  in  the  darkest  comer  of  the  room,  and  with 
her  eyes  fixed  steadily  on  the  carpet,  she  appeared 
to  be  wholly  absorbed  in  some  form  of  inward  medi- 
tation. 

There  was  a  moment's  pause  when  Jimmy  had 
finished,  and  then,  with  a  final  and  decisive  nod,  the 
Count  rose  to  his  feet. 

"My  friends,"  he  said  in  English,  "you  have  in- 
deed done  a  great  service  to  His  Majesty.  You 
have  also  my  own  gratitude.      I  do  not  hide  from 


400         The  Lady  from  Long"  Acre 

you  that  it  has  been  of  much  distress  to  me  that  the 
Princess  Isabella  is  not  more  happy.  If  to  speak 
with  this  good  gentleman  will  be  of  comfort  to  her, 
that  is  indeed  all  that  we  should  wish.  I  will  my- 
self take  him  to  her  presence.  " 

It  was  an  exhilarating  moment,  but  all  three  of 
them  managed  to  preserve  their  self-control.  With 
extreme  gravity  Molly  got  up  from  her  seat  and 
moved  quietly  in  the  direction  of  the  door,  Tony  and 
Jimmy  also  rising  and  acknowledging  the  Count's 
speech  with  a  couple  of  polite  bows. 

"  In  a  minute  I  shall  rejoin  you,  "  added  the  latter. 
"In  the  meanwhile  I  trust  that  you  will  regard  this 
poor  apartment  as  your  own.  " 

He  crossed  the  room  and  opened  the  door  politely 
for  Molly  who,  still  clasping  her  prayer-book  in  front 
of  her,  passed  solemnly  through  into  the  hall.  The 
Count  paused  for  an  instant  on  the  threshold  to 
return  the  salutations  of  his  guests,  and  then  fol- 
lowing her  out,  closed  the  doors  behind  them. 

Jimmy  pulled  out  a  handkerchief  and  softly 
pressed  it  to  his  forehead. 

"Holy  Moses!"  he  w^hispered.  "If  Ananias 
hasn't  turned  in  his  grave  he's  the  most  unjealous 
blighter  who  ever  lived.  " 

"You  were  wonderful,  James,  "  said  Tony,  with  a 
genuine  reverence  in  his  voice.  "I  think  we  shall 
have  to  change  the  idea  of  running  our  garage  on 
honest  lines.     It  would  be  a  sheer  waste  of  genius." 

"We  needn't  worry  about  that  yet,"  retorted 
Jimm3^     "We  have  got  to  get  out  of  this  hole  first. 


Kidnapping  the  Bride  401 

I  don't  know  what  you  think,  but  it  seems  to  me 
that  our  part  of  the  business  was  child's  play- 
compared  with  that  those  two  girls  have  got  to 
tackle." 

"They'll  do  it,  "  repHed  Tony  confidently.  "I've 
the  most  perfect  faith  in  Molly. " 

Jimmy  took  a  deep  breath.  "She's  great — mag- 
nificent," he  said.  "There  isn't  a  woman  in  the 
world  to  touch  her.  She'll  do  her  part  all  right,  but 
it's  the  other  one  I'm  thinking  about.  How  can  one 
expect  a  young  girl  who's  no  experience  of  acting  to 
bring  off  a  job  like  this  ? " 

"Ah!"  said  Tony.     "You  don't  know  Isabel.  " 

He  walked  to  the  writing-desk,  and  stood  for 
an  instant  looking  down  at  the  open  blotting- 
book. 

' '  I  wonder  if  the  Count  would  mind  my  using  his 
paper  and  envelopes,  "  he  added  meditatively.  "I 
think  this  would  be  rather  a  good  opportunity  of 
answering  Da  Freitas'  letter.  " 

"Oh,  go  on,  "  said  Jimmy  with  a  chuckle.  "That 
will  be  all  right.  He  told  us  to  look  on  the  place  as 
our  own. " 

Tony  seated  himself  at  the  desk,  and  taking  out  his 
fountain  pen  pulled  a  sheet  of  paper  towards  him. 
He  paused  to  reflect  for  a  few  moments,  and  then 
dating  the  letter  with  the  exact  hour,  began  to  write, 
slowly  and  deliberately. 

He  had  not  covered  more  than  half  a  page,  when 
the  door  opened  and  the  Count  of  Saint  Anna  came 
back  into  the  room. 
36 


402         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"I  have  taken  your  friend  in  to  the  Princess,  "  he 
said.  "She  was  surprised,  as  you  would  expect,  but 
I  think  it  will  make  her  happy  to  speak  with  him.  I 
return  to  bring  him  back  in  a  little  while.  You 
gentlemen  will  do  me  the  honour  of  lunching  with 
me,  as  soon  as  their  talk  is  finished? " 

Tony,  who  had  got  up  from  his  chair,  shook  his 
head. 

"Thank  you  very  much,  Count,"  he  said,  "but 
I'm  afraid  we  shall  have  to  start  back  as  quick  as  we 
can.  The  fact  is  I  have  got  an  appointment  with  the 
English  Ambassador.  He  is  coming  to  lunch  with 
me  on  my  yacht.  " 

He  brought  out  this  impromptu  falsehood  with 
such  perfect  readiness  that  even  Jimmy  was  momen- 
tarily staggered. 

"Ah!"  said  the  Count.  "I  am  sorry.  If  you 
could  have  waited  it  is  possible  that  you  would  have 
had  the  pleasure  to  meet  the  Count  de  Se.  "We  are 
expecting  him  at  any  time  now.  He  is,  as  you  know, 
to  take  the  Princess  to  Portriga. ' ' 

"What  a  pity!"  repHed  Tony  regretfully.  "I 
should  love  to  have  had  a  chat  with  him  if  we  could 
have  managed  it.  "  He  paused.  "By  the  way,  "  he 
added,  * '  I  hope  you  don't  mind  my  making  free  with 
your  property  like  this.  I  was  just  writing  a  line 
to  my  friend  the  Marquis  da  Freitas.  I  daresay 
the  Count  de  Se  would  take  it  with  him  when  he 
goes  in. " 

The  old  gentleman  spread  out  his  hands  in  a  reas- 
suring gesture. 


Kidnapping  the  Bride  403 

"Senor, "  he  said,  "please  to  continue.  All  that 
I  have  in  this  poor  house  is  at  your  disposal.  " 

Taking  him  at  his  word,  Tony  resumed  his  seat 
at  the  desk,  while  Jimmy,  with  some  opportune  re- 
mark in  Livadian,  promptly  withdrew  their  host  to 
the  further  side  of  the  room. 

Continuing  to  write  with  extreme  deliberation, 
Tony  finished  his  letter,  which  occupied  exactly  two 
sides  of  the  note-paper.  Then  he  blotted  it,  and 
sitting  back  in  his  chair,  read  it  through  carefully 
before  folding  it  up. 

Tuesday,  The  Chateau  of  Saint  Anna, 

11.53  A.M.  Somewhere  in  Livadia. 

My  dear  Marquis: 

It  was  very  kind  of  you  to  write  and  say  good-bye, 
as  I  don't  suppose  you  had  much  time  to  spare  your  last 
day  in  England. 

I  am  more  than  sorry  that  I  haven't  been  able  to  look 
you  up  and  thank  you  personally  during  this  flying  visit 
of  ours  to  your  beautiful  and  exciting  country.  You, 
I  feel  certain,  will  share  this  regret,  but  your  admirable 
philosophy  will  doubtless  enable  you  to  make  the  best 
of  it.  Making  the  best  of  unfortunate  situations  is  the 
real  secret  of  a  happy  and  successful  life. 

May  I  add  that  you  can  always  rely  on  us  for  the  most 
perfect  discretion  with  regard  to  any  secrets  that  we 
happen  to  share  in  common.  I  shall  consider  it  a  great 
kindness  if  you  will  convey  to  His  Majesty  my  truest 
congratulations  on  his  marriage,  of  which,  under  the 
circimistances,  I  feel  quite  sure  you  will  thoroughly 
approve. 


404        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Wishing  you  the  best  of  success  in  your  patriotic 
efforts  on  behalf  of  Livadia, 

I   am,  my  dear  Marquis, 

Your  sincere  admirer, 
Antony  Conway. 

P.  S.  You  were  quite  right  about  the  proverb. 
Ha!    Ha! 

Having  enclosed  this  in  an  envelope  and  addressed 
it,  Tony  got  up  from  his  chair  and  handed  it  to  the 
Count. 

' '  I  shall  be  much  obliged  if  you  will  give  that  to  De 
Se, ' '  he  said.  ' '  I  want  the  Marquis  to  get  it  as  soon 
as  possible  and  I  expect  your  postal  arrangements  are 
a  bit  disorganized. " 

The  Count  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"All  is  confusion  for  the  moment,"  he  admitted, 
"but  I  trust  that  by  Monday  we  may  hope  for  better 
things.  So  soon  as  the  King  is  married  there  will  be 
no  more  fighting. " 

He  put  the  letter  away  carefully  in  his  inside 
pocket,  and  for  a  few  minutes  continued  to  discourse 
on  the  revolution  and  its  possible  developments.  It 
was  quite  evident  that  he  shared  Colonel  Saltero's 
opinion  as  to  the  immediate  effect  of  the  coming 
ceremony,  and  that  he  looked  forward  to  the  future 
with  a  complete  and  touching  confidence. 

At  last,  again  adjusting  his  spectacles,  which  had 
a  habit  of  slipping  down  his  nose,  he  glanced  up  at 
the  clock  on  the  mantelpiece. 

*  *  I  think, ' '  he  said  ' '  that  I  might  now  return  to 


Kidnapping  the  Bride  405 

the  Princess.  It  was,  I  understand,  for  twenty  min- 
utes that  your  good  friend  wished  to  speak  with  her. ' ' 

"Perhaps  it  would  be  as  well,"  said  Tony  reluc- 
tantly. ' '  I  hate  to  rush  away  like  this,  but  we  really 
ought  to  get  back  as  soon  as  possible.  I  don't  want 
to  keep  the  Ambassador  waiting.  " 

They  moved  together  towards  the  door,  and  as 
Tony  opened  it  he  added :  "  I  should  like  to  take  the 
chance  of  having  a  look  at  your  hall  pillars  if  I 
may.     I  never  saw  finer  marble  in  my  life. ' ' 

A  gratified  smile  lit  up  the  Count's  features. 

"It  is  considered  a  not  unfavourable  example  of 
our  architecture,  "  he  said.  "I  am  honoured  that  it 
should  meet  with  your  approval." 

He  conducted  them  outside,  and  after  again  apolo- 
gizing for  leaving  them,  mounted  the  broad  stair- 
case and  disappeared  from  view  along  the  gallery 
above. 

For  a  moment  Tony  and  Jimmy  remained  stand- 
ing where  they  were,  apparently  lost  in  admiration. 
One  glance  round,  however,  had  shown  both  of  them 
all  that  they  really  wished  to  see.  Through  the 
partly  open  front  door  they  had  caught  a  glimpse  of 
Major  Paqueta  and  the  other  officer  engaged  in  con- 
versation on  the  steps,  while  a  faint  but  clearb/ 
audible  ticking  below  told  them  that  the  faithful 
car  was  still  in  the  same  position  where  they  had 
left  it. 

"We  might  be  able  to  manage  it,"  whispered 
Jimmy;  "even  if  there's  a  hitch  at  the  last  moment. " 

"There'll  be  no  hitch,"    replied    Tony    gently. 


4o6        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"Put  your  trust  in  Providence,  Jimmy,  and  admire 
the  hall. " 

He  strolled  placidly  round  from  pillar  to  pillar, 
examining  the  carving  at  the  base  of  each,  and  occa- 
sionally patting  one  with  his  hand,  as  if  to  express  his 
approbation.  Jimmy  accompanied  him,  sauntering 
along  with  equal  nonchalance,  and  puffing  at  a 
cigarette  which  he  had  lighted  while  talking  to  the 
Count. 

They  were  just  completing  the  circuit  and  were 
within  a  few  feet  of  the  door,  when  a  sudden  sound 
above  brought  them  to  a  halt.  They  both  looked 
up,  and  as  they  did  so  two  people  appeared  at  the 
head  of  the  staircase. 

One  was  the  Count,  coming  down  with  his  hand  on 
the  banisters,  and  talking  away  affably  in  his  indiffer- 
ent English. 

The  other 

Standing  where  he  was,  Tony  stared  up  at  the 
slim  black-coated  figure,  that  with  prayer-book  in 
hand  and  lowered  eyes  was  descending  the  staircase 
alongside  of  their  host.  The  likeness  to  Molly  as 
he  had  last  seen  her  was  so  amazing  that  for  just  one 
numbing  instant  a  horrible  fear  that  she  had  failed 
gripped  him  by  the  heart. 

Then — somehow  or  other — he  knew — ^knew  beyond 
any  shadow  of  doubt  that  it  was  Isabel  herself.  All 
his  coolness  returned  to  him  instantly,  and  drawing 
in  a  deep,  delicious  breath  he  stepped  foru^ard  to 
meet  them. 

' '  His  Majesty  will  be  very  grateful  to  you, ' '  said  the 


Kidnapping  the  Bride  407 

Count  in  a  low  voice.  "I  am  happy  to  say  that  the 
kindness  and  sympathy  of  this  good  gentleman  have 
been  of  much  comfort  to  the  Princess.  She  is  like  a 
different  person. " 

"I  have  no  doubt  she  is,"  replied  Tony  heartily. 
"I  know  from  experience  that  a  talk  with  Mr. 
Monk  always  makes  one  feel  better  and  happier." 
He  held  out  his  hand.  "Good-bye,  Count,"  he 
added,  "and  thank  you  again  so  much  for  your 
kindness. " 

The  Count  shook  hands  warmly  with  all  three  of 
them. 

' '  It  has  been  a  privilege  to  make  your  friendship, " 
he  replied.  "But  I  will  not  say  'good-bye.'  It  is 
possible,  I  hope,  that  you  will  be  returning  here 
before  long." 

"  It  is, "  admitted  Tony,  ' ' distinctly. ' ' 

"And  when  you  come,"  continued  their  host, 
shaking  his  finger  playfully,  ' '  I  shall  not  permit  you 
to  leave  us  a  second  time  in  so  great  a  hurry. " 

Tony  smiled,  and  again  wrung  his  hand.  "I  am 
sure  of  that.  Count,  "  he  said;  "quite  sure  of  it.  " 

They  walked  to  the  doors,  which  had  been  thrown 
back  by  the  steward,  who  had  suddenly  reappeared 
upon  the  scene,  and  passed  out  once  more  into  the 
sunshine  and  freedom  of  the  open  air. 

Isabel  did  not  waste  any  time.  Without  looking 
to  the  right  or  left,  she  stepped  up  quietly  into  the 
tonneau,  and  getting  in  after  her  Tony  settled  him- 
self between  her  and  the  steps.  With  almost  equal 
promptness  Jimmy  and  the  Major  took  their  places 


4o8         The  Lady  from  Long-  Acre 

in  front.  There  was  a  farewell  wave  from  the  Count 
and  the  other  officer,  a  sputtering  of  gravel  as  the 
wheels  commenced  to  revolve,  and  the  next  moment 
the  car  was  circling  again  round  the  stout  gentleman 
with  the  sword,  and  heading  gaily  towards  the  arch- 
way. 

Tony's  sensations,  as  he  found  himself  once  more 
slipping  past  the  open  cottage  doors,  were  so  ra- 
diantly exhilarating  that  it  was  all  he  could  do  to  keep 
them  under  control.  Indeed,  but  for  the  fact  that 
his  right  hand  was  clasping  Isabel's  left  under  the 
rug,  and  that  the  other  was  temporarily  occupied  in 
returning  the  salutes  of  the  soldiers  by  the  roadside, 
he  felt  that  the  temptation  to  throw  his  arms  round 
Major  Paqueta's  neck  would  have  been  utterly  ir- 
resistible. 

The  necessity  for  silence — always  a  difficult  vir- 
tue in  his  case — did  not  tend  to  make  the  struggle 
any  easier.  A  dozen  questions  were  trembling  on 
his  tongue,  but  apart  from  the  fact  that  Jimmy  was 
driving  at  a  pace  which  would  have  rendered  any- 
thing but  shouting  absolutely  useless,  he  knew  it 
would  be  stark  madness  for  Isabel  to  begin  talking 
until  they  had  succeeded  in  ridding  themselves  of 
their  passenger.  So  with  splendid  if  painful  self- 
control  he  sat  mutely  beside  her,  while  steadily 
gathering  speed,  the  car  swept  up  the  opposite  hill- 
side and  plunged  joyously  out  of  sight  of  the  Chateau 
into  the  narrow  gorge  above. 

With  the  exception  of  slowing  down  occasionally 
as  he  passed  the  various  patrols,  Jimmy  pushed  along 


Kidnapping  the  Bride  409 

in  such  an  animated  fashion  that  in  what  seemed  to  be 
an  amazingly  short  time  they  had  again  descended 
from  the  high  ground,  and  were  racing  back  along 
the  winding  valley  which  led  into  the  main  road. 
As  they  came  in  sight  of  the  thicket  where  they  had 
first  had  the  privilege  of  making  Major  Paqueta's 
acquaintance,  two  or  three  of  the  latter's  soldiers, 
who  were  evidently  on  the  watch,  came  hurrying  out 
from  amongst  the  trees.  Seeing  that  it  was  their 
leader  returning  they  formed  up  promptly  into  some 
kind  of  order,  and  putting  on  his  brakes,  Jimmy 
brought  the  car  to  a  halt  a  dozen  paces  or  so  from 
where  they  were  standing. 

With  a  few  words,  apparently  expressive  of  his 
thanks,  the  Major  climbed  down  into  the  roadway. 
Then,  drawing  himself  up,  he  bowed  twice- -once  to 
Tony  and  once  to  Isabel:  a  polite  attention  which 
they  both  returned  as  gracefully  as  their  somewhat 
cramped  circumstances  would  allow.  At  the  same 
moment  Jimmy  thrust  in  his  clutch,  and  lurching 
forward  again,  the  car  swung  rapidly  round  the 
corner  on  to  the  main  Braxa  road. 

A  few  hundred  yards  from  the  wood  Tony's  self- 
control  was  unable  to  hold  out  any  longer.  Throw- 
ing back  the  rug  he  lifted  up  Isabel's  hand,  and 
regardless  as  to  whether  any  one  could  see  him  or 
not,  pressed  it  recklessly  and  joyously  to  his  lips. 

With  a  little  gasp  she  laid  her  other  hand  upon  his 
sleeve. 

"Oh,  say  it's  true,  Tony.     Tell  me  it's  really  true!" 

Her  words  were  almost  carried  away  by  the  wind, 


4IO        The  Latly  from  Long  Acre 

for  sublimely  indifferent  to  the  ruts  Jimmy  had  let 
the  car  out  to  its  fullest  extent,  and  they  were  racing 
and  bounding  along  in  a  fashion  which  would  have 
done  credit  to  a  high-spirited  chamois. 

With  a  glad  laugh  Tony  put  his  arm  round  her  and 
drew  her  close  up  against  him. 

"It's  the  truest  thing  that's  ever  happened, "  he 
answered.  ' '  You  are  mine  now,  Isabel — mine,  mine, 
mine;  and  all  the  fat-headed  Kings  in  Europe  will 
never  get  you  away  from  me  again. " 

Satisfied  apparently  with  what  she  could  hear  of 
his  statement,  Isabel  made  no  attempt  to  reply. 
With  her  eyes  half-closed  she  leaned  against  his 
shoulder,  swaying  with  the  movement  of  the  car 
and  holding  tight  to  his  hand  like  a  tired  but  con- 
tented child. 

"Were  you  going  to  marry  him? "  demanded  Tony 
abruptly,  as  a  worse  bit  of  road  than  usual  caused  a 
momentary  slackening  in  the  pace. 

She  opened  her  eyes  and  nodded.  "Uncle  Philip 
told  me  that  they  had  got  hold  of  you  too,  and  that 
if  I  didn't  do  it  they  would  punish  you  horribly, 
somehow  or  other.  I  meant  to  kill  myself  directly 
I  knew  you  were  safe.  " 

The  arm  with  which  Tony  was  holding  her  tight- 
ened a  little  in  its  grip. 

"If  ever  I  meet  Uncle  Phil  again,"  he  remarked 
slowly,  "he'll  run  up  against  something  consider- 
ably harder  than  Richmond  Park. " 

A  fresh  plunge  forward  on  the  part  of  the  car 
rendered  any  further  conversation  temporarily  im- 


Kidnapping  the  Bride  411 

possible,  and  for  the  next  quarter  of  an  hour  they 
spun  along  in  the  same  buoyant  fashion,  while  the 
red  roofs  of  Braxa,  which  were  now  visible  in  the  dis- 
tance, grew  plainer  and  plainer  every  minute. 

Some  way  short  of  the  straggling  outskirts  Jimmy 
again  checked  his  speed,  and  pulling  into  the  side  of 
the  road  came  to  a  sudden  and  unexpected  halt. 

"How  d'you  do,  Isabel,"  he  observed,  looking 
round  over  his  shoulder.  "Glad  to  meet  you." 
Then  addressing  himself  to  her  companion,  he  added : 
"What's  your  notion  about  things,  Tony?  I  think 
myself  we'd  better  make  a  dash  for  it.  Run  slap 
through  the  town  and  straight  down  on  to  the  land- 
ing stage.     I  suppose  the  boat  will  be  there  all  right. ' ' 

Tony  nodded.  "One  can  always  depend  upon 
Guy,"  he  said.  "But  how  about  the  car?  What 
are  you  going  to  do  with  that?" 

"Scrap  it,"  replied  Jimmy.  "Leave  it  on  the 
quay.  It  doesn't  belong  to  me  you  know,  it  belongs 
to  the  garage.  I've  got  all  my  earthly  possessions 
in  my  pocket. " 

"Right  away  then,"  said  Tony,  "and  don't  stop 
for  anything.  "  He  turned  to  Isabel.  "You  won't 
be  frightened  if  we  have  to  run  over  a  few  police- 
men, "  he  said.  "It's  just  possible  they  may  be  on 
the  lookout  for  us.  " 

Isabel  shook  her  head.  "I  don't  mind,  "  she  said 
firmly.     "Not  in  the  least." 

"Well,  look  out  for  squalls,"  remarked  Jimmy 
cheerfully.     "It's  neck  or  nothing  now.  " 

He  pulled  his  Homburg  hat  on  tighter  and  started 


412        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

off  again  down  the  road,  which  stretched  out  ahead 
of  them  bare  and  dusty  in  the  blazing  midday 
sunshine. 

Peaceful  as  Braxa  had  seemed  when  they  had 
passed  through  it  earlier  in  the  morning,  it  was  at  this 
hour  even  more  deserted  than  before.  The  heat  of 
the  sun  seemed  to  have  driven  such  people  as  were 
about  into  the  shelter  of  the  wine  shops,  and  except 
for  a  few  unhappy-looking  dogs,  rummaging  amongst 
the  garbage,  a  deep,  languorous  tranquillity  brooded 
over  everything. 

They  raced  up  the  main  street  at  a  pace  which 
sent  the  dust  flying  in  clouds  on  either  side  of  them ; 
and  without  sounding  their  horn  or  otherwise  an- 
nouncing their  approach,  they  swept  round  the 
comer  into  the  big  open  space  where  they  had  had 
their  previous  encounter  with  the  policeman.  They 
were  half-way  across,  and  were  heading  straight  for 
the  track  that  led  down  on  to  the  beach,  when  the 
drowsy  silence  of  the  square  was  suddenly  disturbed 
by  a  hoarse  shout  on  the  left.  Tony  glanced  round 
in  the  direction  of  the  sound,  and  was  rewarded  by 
the  sight  of  two  uniformed  figures  hurrying  out  from 
the  shadow  of  the  trees,  and  running  and  stumbling 
towards  them  with  loud  and  peremptory  cries. 

"You're  too  late,  "  he  observed  placidly.  "Go  on, 
Jimmy. " 

As  he  spoke  the  car  shot  up  the  slight  incline  which 
hitherto  shut  out  the  beach  from  view  and  at  the 
same  moment  a  half  stifled  exclamation  broke  simul- 
taneously from  all  three  of  its  occupants.     Right 


Kidnapping  the  Bride  413 

across  the  track,  in  such  a  position  as  to  shut  out  any 
possibility  of  passing  it,  stood  a  big  clumsy  ox-cart, 
half  full  of  sand.  Some  yards  further  on  they  could 
see  the  driver  chatting  affably  to  a  couple  of  fisher- 
men, but  even  if  he  had  wished  to  help  them,  he  was 
too  far  away  to  be  of  any  use. 

Under  the  circumstances  Jimmy  did  the  only  thing 
that  could  possibly  have  saved  them.  Thrusting 
out  his  clutch,  he  flung  the  wheel  hard  over  to  the 
right,  and  with  a  wild  swirl  the  car  left  the  track,  and 
plunging  forward  into  the  soft  sand  at  the  side,  came 
to  a  staggeringly  abrupt  standstill. 

Despite  the  shock,  Tony  had  opened  the  door  and 
was  out  on  the  beach  almost  before  the  wheels  had 
ceased  to  revolve. 

"Come  along,  "  he  said  coolly;  "plenty  of  time.  " 

But  for  one  fact,  it  is  probable  that  his  statement 
would  have  proved  true.  This  fact  unfortunately 
just  made  all  the  difference.  The  sudden  stoppage 
had  flung  Jimmy  forward  with  such  force  against 
the  steering-wheel  that  all  the  breath  had  been 
knocked  clean  out  of  his  body,  and  for  the  moment 
he  was  as  completely  helpless  as  any  human  being 
could  possibly  be. 

Seeing  what  had  happened,  Tony  darted  round  to 
the  other  side  of  the  car,  and  catching  him  in  his 
arms,  lifted  him  bodily  out  of  the  seat.  Even  while 
he  was  doing  so,  the  first  paralysing  effects  of  the 
blow  began  to  wear  off;  but  the  delay — brief  as  it 
had  been — was  quite  long  enough  to  bring  about 
disaster. 


414        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Already  the  pursuing  policemen  had  come  racing 
up  over  the  rise  behind,  and  were  bawling  out  frantic 
instructions  to  the  driver  of  the  cart  and  the  two 
fishermen  who  were  with  him.  Thunderstruck  as 
the  latter  seemed  to  be,  they  yet  retained  sufficient 
intelligence  to  grasp  the  fact  that  they  were  being 
called  upon  to  assist  the  law.  For  a  second  only 
they  hesitated;  then  with  a  simultaneous  move- 
ment, they  lumbered  forward  up  the  beach,  and 
true  to  the  voice  of  duty,  rushed  in  upon  their 
quarry. 

The  next  minute  was  probably  the  busiest  in 
Tony's  life.  Letting  go  of  Jimmy,  he  sprang  for- 
ward to  meet  the  first  of  their  assailants — a  big 
black-bearded  fellow,  who  had  slightly  out-distanced 
the  others.  The  man  dived  for  his  body,  but  swing- 
ing up  his  left  with  a  terrific  jolt  Tony  caught  him 
full  in  the  face,  and  sent  him  sprawling  over  on  the 
sand.  Then,  just  in  the  nick  of  time,  he  turned  to 
meet  the  driver  of  the  cart.  There  was  no  chance  of 
repeating  his  former  tactics,  for  the  sheer  weight  of 
the  latter' s  rush  had  brought  him  into  close  quarters, 
and  the  next  instant  they  were  swaying  up  and  down, 
clutched  in  each  other's  arms. 

At  any  ordinary  time  they  would  have  been  a  very 
well  matched  pair,  but  the  desperation  of  the  mo- 
ment had  filled  Tony  with  a  kind  of  wild  madness 
that  seemed  almost  to  have  doubled  his  strength. 
Wrenching  his  right  arm  free  he  drove  his  fist  deep 
into  his  opponent's  midriff  with  the  force  of  a  piston- 
rod.     The  man's  legs  shut  up  under  him  like  a  clasp- 


Kidnapping  the  Bride  415 

knife — down  he  went  in  a  gurgling  heap,  dragging 
Tony  with  him  in  his  fall. 

The  latter  was  up  again  almost  immediately,  but 
his  first  glance  round  showed  him  the  hopelessness  of 
the  situation.  Racing  down  the  slope  with  all  pos- 
sible speed,  the  two  policemen  had  already  reached 
the  scene  of  action.  One  of  them  was  rushing  to- 
wards him  with  a  drawn  sword,  and  yelling  to  him  to 
surrender,  while  the  other  was  dodging  round  the 
car  in  pursuit  of  Isabel. 

At  that  moment,  just  when  everything  seemed  to 
be  lost,  a  violent  "bang"  from  behind  burst  sud- 
denly on  Tony's  ear.  He  spun  round  instinctively — 
and  there,  fifteen  yards  away,  was  the  Heaven-sent 
figure  of  "Tiger"  Bugg,  leaping  up  the  beach  with  the 
speed  and  fury  of  an  avenging  angel.  A  few  paces 
in  the  rear  stood  Guy  Oliver,  hatless,  perspiring,  and 
with  a  smoking  revolver  levelled  in  his  hand. 

Even  as  Tony  turned  there  came  a  second  spurt 
of  flame.  He  felt  the  bullet  whistle  past  him,  and 
almost  simultaneously  an  agonized  yelp  of  pain 
showed  that  it  had  found  its  mark.  He  swung  round 
again  instantly,  just  in  time  to  see  the  onrushing 
policeman  drop  his  sword,  and  stagger  back  a  couple 
of  paces  with  his  left  hand  clasped  to  his  shoulder. 

Disregarding  everything  else  Tony  flung  himself 
to  the  rescue  of  Isabel.  At  the  sound  of  the  second 
shot,  the  man  who  was  chasing  her  had  pulled  up 
abruptly  in  his  tracks,  apparently  debating  whether, 
under  the  new  circumstances,  discretion  was  not  the 
better  part  of  valour.     Before  he  could  make  up  his 


4i6        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

mind  Tony  was  on  him.  He  flung  up  his  arms  to 
defend  himself,  but  a  smashing  left  in  the  throat 
toppled  him  over  like  a  pole-axed  bullock,  the  back  of 
his  head  coming  in  violent  contact  with  the  radiator, 
and  thus  completing  his  discomfiture. 

Panting,  and  quite  unable  to  speak,  Isabel  leaned 
against  the  side  of  the  car. 

"It's  all  over,"  said  Tony  cheerfully,  and  slip- 
ping his  arm  gently  round  her,  he  bent  down 
and  kissed  her.  "I'll  carry  you  to  the  boat,"  he 
added. 

She  made  some  inaudible  protest,  but  without 
paying  any  attention  he  picked  her  up  in  his  arms 
and  turned  towards  the  quay. 

It  was  a  stricken  field  that  met  his  gaze,  but  all 
danger  was  apparently  over.  With  Bugg's  assistance 
Jimmy  was  just  struggling  to  his  feet,  while  his  late 
assailant,  stretched  out  full  length  on  the  sand  beside 
him,  seemed  to  have  given  up  any  further  interest 
in  the  proceedings.  On  the  right,  still  clutching  his 
revolver,  Guy  stood  on  guard  over  the  remainder  of 
the  enemies,  none  of  them,  however,  appeared  to  be 
in  any  condition  to  interfere. 

He  glanced  up  with  a  white  and  eager  face  as  Tony 
strode  forward,  carrying  Isabel  in  his  arms. 

"Is  she  all  right?"  he  gasped  breathlessly. 

Tony  gave  him  a  reassuring  nod.  "We  are  both 
in  the  best  of  health,  thank  you,  Guy,"  he  said. 
' '  How  about  the  boat  ? ' ' 

Guy  took  a  deep  breath.  "You'll  find  the  boat 
there, ' '  he  said,  pointing  towards  the  jetty.     * '  Get 


Kidnapping  the  Bride  4^7 

on  board  as  quick  as  you  can.  Bugg  and  I  will  bring 
Dale  along. " 

Without  further  remark,  Tony  hurried  on  down  the 
beach,  and  passed  in  between  the  two  wooden  posts 
which  marked  the  entrance  to  the  rough  stone  cause- 
way, A  few  yards  ahead  of  him  stood  the  Captain 
of  the  Betty  holding  the  gig's  painter  in  his  hand.  In 
the  boat  below  a  couple  of  sailors  were  ready  at  their 
oars. 

"Hello,  skipper!"  exclaimed  Tony.  "How  nice 
of  you  to  have  come  yourself!  I  hope  we  haven't 
kept  you  waiting." 

As  he  spoke  he  gently  lowered  Isabel  to  her  feet, 
and  supporting  her  with  one  hand,  held  out  the  other 
to  Captain  Simmons. 

The  sailor  gripped  it  in  his  huge  brown  paw. 

"Thank  God,  you're  safe.  Sir  Antony,"  he  ex- 
claimed heartily.  "I'd  have  given  anything  to  be 
able  to  lend  a  hand,  but  I  didn't  dare  leave  the  boat. 
We'd  have  been  done  if  they'd  cut  us  off. " 

"Oh,  we  didn't  want  any  more  help,"  said  Tony 
laughing.  "  The  whole  beach  is  littered  w4th  corpses 
as  it  is."  He  paused.  "Let  me  introduce  you  to 
Miss  Francis,"  he  ended,  "the  lady  I'm  going  to 
marry. " 

For  a  moment  the  skipper  stared  at  Isabel  in  dumb 
amazement :  then  with  that  readiness  in  emergency 
which  always  distinguishes  the  British  sailor,  he 
took  off  his  cap  and  made  her  an  abrupt  bow. 

' '  Pleased  to  meet  you.  Miss, ' '  he  remarked  huskily. 

At  that  instant  through  the  entrance  to  the  jetty 


4i8         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

appeared  the  dishevelled  figure  of  Jimmy  limping 
cheerfully  along  between  Guy  and  Bugg. 

"Here  come  the  others,"  said  Tony.  "We'd 
better  get  aboard  before  there's  any  more  trouble." 
He  dropped  down  into  the  boat,  and  steadied  himself 
in  the  stern.  "You  pass  Miss  Francis  down  to  me, 
will  you,  skipper?" 

Like  a  man  in  a  dream,  but  with  the  most  respect- 
ful and  solicitous  care  Captain  Simmons  lifted  up 
Isabel  and  lowered  her  gently  into  Tony's  arms.  As 
her  feet  touched  the  planks  Bugg,  Guy,  and  Jimmy 
appeared  on  the  causeway  above,  and  the  next  mo- 
ment they  too  were  scrambling  hastily  down  into 
their  places.  Captain  Simmons  followed  with  the 
painter. 

"Let  her  go, "  he  exclaimed  curtly. 

The  two  sailors  swung  back  together,  and  with  a 
steady  gliding  motion  the  boat  drew  away  from  the 
strenuous  shores  of  Livadia  into  the  blue  waters  of 
the  sunlit  bay. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

MAKING   SURE   OF  ISABEL 

For  the  second  time  that  morning  Lady  Jocelyn 
opened  the  Daily  Mail  and  adjusting  her  glasses  bent 
over  the  centre  column  with  its  staring  and  heavily 
leaded  headlines. 

AMAZING   DEVELOPMENT   IN   LIVADIA 

KING    PEDRO    MARRIED    TO    THE    PRINCESS 
ISABELLA 

THE   CIVIL  WAR  ENDED 

In  Saturday's  issue  we  were  able  to  give  our  readers 
the  exclusive  information  that  King  Pedro  and  the  ex- 
prime  minister  of  Livadia,  the  Marquis  da  Freitas,  had 
landed  in  Portriga. 

Our  well  informed  special  correspondent,  who  trans- 
mitted the  news,  hinted  also  that  within  a  short  time  we 
might  expect  to  hear  of  some  dramatic  developments  in 
the  situation.  The  correctness  of  his  forecast  has  been 
amply  demonstrated  in  a  further  and  lengthy  message 
received  late  last  night;  a  message  which  conveys  the 
striking  information  that  King  Pedro  and  his  rival  claim- 
ant to  the  throne,  the  beautiful  daughter  of  the  late  Don 

419 


420         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Francisco,  were  married  on  Sunday  mominj^  in  the  Ca- 
thedral at  Portriga. 

The  situation  from  the  poHtical  point  of  view  is  dealt 
with  fully  in  our  leading  article.  We  feel  certain,  how- 
ever, that  all  readers  of  the  Daily  Mail  will  join  in  con- 
gratulating the  Royal  and  happy  pair  upon  their  roman- 
tic union. 

During  his  residence  amongst  us  King  Pedro  has  given 
many  proofs  of  the  manly  and  democratic  spirit  by  which 
he  is  animated,  and  we  share  our  correspondent's  hope 
that  under  his  rule  and  that  of  his  fair  and  youthful  con- 
sort, our  old  established  allies — the  Livadian  people — will 
enter  upon  a  long  era  of  peace  and  prosperity. 

From  our  Special  Correspondent. 

Portriga,  Sunday  night. 

Today  has  been  the  most  dramatic  day  in  the  whole 
history  of  Livadia.  Within  an  hour  of  my  sending  off 
my  last  message  (since  when  I  have  been  unable  to  com- 
municate) a  number  of  posters  and  bills  began  to  make 
their  appearance  all  over  the  town,  announcing  that  on 
Sunday  morning  King  Pedro  would  be  married  to  the 
Princess  Isabella,  the  beautiful  and  rather  mysterious 
daughter  of  the  late  Pretender,  of  whose  whereabouts 
very  few  even  of  her  own  supporters  seemed  to  have  any 
definite  knowledge. 

With  great  difficulty,  and  only  through  the  kind  as- 
sistance of  J\lr.  Watson  the  British  Consul,  I  managed 
to  obtain  an  inter\dew  with  General  Almaida.  The  latter, 
who  appeared  to  be  in  a  state  of  considerable  agitation, 
declared  the  report  to  be  a  deliberate  canard  set  about 
by  the  King's  supporters. 


Making  Sure  of  Isabel  421 

Further  inquiries,  however,  led  me  to  the  conclusion 
that  the  Princess  was  actually  in  the  hands  of  the  Royal- 
ists, and  that  having  been  won  over  by  the  King's  court- 
esy and  charm  of  manner,  she  had  agreed  to  the  marriage 
as  the  natural  and  happy  solution  of  their  rival  claims. 
The  truth  of  this  view  was  soon  demonstrated. 

At  an  early  hour  on  Sunday  morning,  all  the  foreign 
correspondents  in  Portriga  received  an  official  invitation 
to  the  Cathedral,  the  approaches  to  which  were  held  in 
considerable  force  by  the  King's  troops.  The  ceremony, 
which  was  originally  announced  for  twelve  o'clock,  did 
not  take  place  until  nearly  one- thirty,  owing  I  believe 
to  a  final  attempt  on  the  part  of  General  Almaida  to 
break  through  into  the  centre  of  the  town.  His  belated 
effort  was  easily  frustrated,  as  a  large  number  of  his 
followers  had  already  laid  down  their  arms,  recognizing 
the  hopelessness  of  their  position. 

The  marriage  rites,  which  were  performed  by  the  aged 
Bishop  of  Portriga,  were  carried  through  with  consider- 
able state.  Except  for  a  momentary  interruption  half 
through  the  service,  the  authors  of  which  were  promptly 
arrested  and  conveyed  from  the  Cathedral,  the  ceremony 
proceeded  along  its  course  without  any  untoward  in- 
cident. On  leaving  the  building  the  Royal  Pair  were 
greeted  with  the  utmost  enthusiasm  by  a  large  and 
apparently  well  contented  crowd  and  drove  in  state  to 
the  ancient  palace  of  St.  Peter,  where  from  time  im- 
memorial the  ruling  house  of  Livadia  have  been  accus- 
tomed to  reside. 

The  new  Queen  of  Livadia  is  a  young  girl  of  remarkable 
beauty — not  unlike  an  Englishwoman  in  appearance. 
She  has  a  wealth  of  that  wonderful  auburn  hair,  which  is 
frequently  to  be  met  with  in  the  Southern  provinces  of 
Livadia,  and  throughout  the  ceremony  she  conducted 


422         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

herself  with  a  grace  and  dignity  that  won  the  admiration 
of  all  beholders. 

It  is  not  diflficult  to  believe  that  under  its  young  and 
happily  endowed  rulers,  who  will  be  guided  by  that  ex- 
perienced statesman  the  Marquis  da  Freitas,  the  coun- 
try will  soon  recover  from  the  troublous  times  through 
which  it  has  been  recently  passing. 

Having  read  so  far,  Lady  Jocelyn  laid  down  the 
paper,  and  leaned  back  against  the  sofa.  For  a 
minute  or  so  she  remained  there  motionless,  gazing 
straight  out  in  front  of  her  with  an  expression  such  as 
few  people  had  ever  seen  upon  her  naturally  shrewd 
and  cheerful  face. 

At  last,  with  a  faint  sigh,  she  picked  up  the  paper 
again,  and  stared  once  more  at  the  blatant  head- 
lines. 

"Oh,  my  poor  Tony,"  she  said  softly  to  herself . 
* '  My  poor  dear  boy ! ' ' 

The  words  had  hardly  left  her  lips  when  the  noise 
of  a  motor  pulling  up  outside  came  in  plainly  through 
the  open  window.  A  moment  later  the  front  door 
bell  pealed  loudly. 

Lady  Jocelyn  got  up,  and  walking  slowly  to  the 
door  intercepted  the  maid  who  was  in  the  act  of 
crossing  the  landing. 

*T  am  not  at  home,  Ellen,  "  she  said,  "unless  it's 
Mr.  Henry  Conway.  I  am  expecting  him,  so  you  can 
bring  him  straight  upstairs.  " 

"Yes,  M'lady, "  murmured  the  girl  s^nnpathetic- 
ally. 

All   Lady   Jocelyn 's   servants   adored    her,     and 


Making  Sure  of  Isabel  423 

although  to  them  Isabel's  abrupt  disappearance  was 
still  a  complete  m3^stery,  they  were  very  troubled  and 
upset  at  the  obvious  effect  which  it  had  produced 
upon  their  mistress. 

Walking  back  across  the  room  Lady  Jocelyn  had 
just  reached  her  former  seat,  when  a  sudden  sound 
of  voices  in  the  hall  below  made  her  pause  abruptly. 
An  exclamation  escaped  from  her  lips,  and  with  an 
unconscious  movement  she  stretched  out  her  arm 
and  caught  hold  of  the  back  of  the  sofa  to  steady 
herself.  The  next  moment  footsteps  came  scram- 
bling up  the  stairs,  and  forgetful  of  all  her  profes- 
sional training,  Ellen  burst  wildly  into  the  room,  her 
round  face  shining  with  excitement. 

"Oh,  M'lady!  It's  Miss  Isabel  and  Sir  Antony, 
M'lady— and— and  Mr.  Oliver.  " 

Even  as  she  spoke  the  first-named  couple  appeared 
in  the  doorway,  and  with  a  little  glad  cry.  Lady  Joce- 
lyn stepped  forward,  holding  out  her  hands. 

"Tony!  Isabel!"  she  whispered;  then  as  they 
hurried  towards  her,  and  each  threw  their  arms  round 
her,  she  added,  half  laughing,  half  crying:  "Oh, 
you  dear,  bad  children!  How  you've  frightened 
me!" 

In  the  middle  of  their  embrace,  Guy  Oliver  followed 
them  into  the  room.  With  the  exception  of  a  slight 
trace  of  sunburn  he  looked  as  sedate  and  respectable 
as  ever;  indeed  the  thought  of  him  standing  on  a 
blood-stained  beach  blazing  away  with  a  revolver 
seemed  like  the  wildest  fancy  of  an  imaginative 
dipsomaniac. 


424         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"We  only  landed  at  Southampton  early  this 
morning,"  explained  Tony  penitently;  "and  I 
couldn't  spoil  things  by  telegraphing.  " 

At  this  point  Ellen,  who  had  been  standing  con- 
templating the  scene  with  the  frankest  curiosity, 
suddenly  woke  up  to  a  realization  of  her  professional 
lapse.  With  a  reluctant  sigh  she  withdrew  noise- 
lessly from  the  room,  closing  the  door  behind  her,  and 
dashed  off  downstairs  to  communicate  the  exciting 
tidings  to  her  fellow-servants. 

With  their  arms  round  Lady  Jocelyn,  Tony  and 
Isabel  conducted  her  gently  to  the  sofa,  and  seated 
themselves  one  on  each  side  of  her.  Guy  took  his 
place  in  an  armchair  facing  them. 

"You  must  forgive  me,  Guy,  "  said  Lady  Jocelyn. 
"I  am  so  happy  and  excited  I  haven't  even  said  how 
do  you  do,  and  I'm  sure  it's  all  through  you  that  I 
have  got  my  mad  children  back  alive  and  well. " 

"Of  course  it  is,"  exclaimed  Tony.  "If  Guy 
hadn't  waded  in  and  slaughtered  half  the  Livadian 
police  force  on  the  beach,  we  shouldn't  have  had  a 
dog's  chance  of  getting  clear.     Isn't  that  so,  Isabel  ? ' ' 

Isabel  nodded.  "He  was  very  brave,"  she  said 
gratefully.  "I  shall  never  forget  how  fierce  and 
splendid  he  looked. " 

Poor  Guy's  face  turned  a  vivid  crimson. 

"I  wish  I  had  seen  him,  "  remarked  Lady  Jocelyn, 
with  considerable  regret  in  her  voice ;  ' '  but  it  seems 
to  me  we  are  beginning  at  the  wrong  end."  She 
stooped  forward  and  picked  up  the  Daily  Mail, 
which  had  fallen  to  the  floor.     "Look  at  that, "  she 


Making  Sure  of  Isabel  425 

added,  pointing  to  the  headlines, ' '  and  for  pity's  sake 
tell  me  Tvhat  it  all  means. " 

"I've  seen  it, "  said  Tony.  "It  means  that  even 
Lord  Northcliffe  may  be  deceived  at  times."  He 
paused.  "I  didn't  tell  you  quite  everything  before 
we  started,  Aunt  Fanny.  I  had  some  silly  idea  it 
might  worry  you. " 

"Never  mind,"  said  Lady  Jocelyn  generously. 
"If  you  will  make  up  for  it  now,  I  think  I  might 
manage  to  forgive  you.  " 

She  took  Isabel's  slim  hand  in  hers  and  leaned 
back  against  the  sofa. 

"I'll  try,"  said  Tony  gravely;  "but  Guy  and 
Isabel  will  have  to  help.  It's  the  sort  of  story  that 
requires  at  least  three  strong  people,  if  one  wants 
to  tell  it  properly.  " 

The  incompleteness  of  his  previous  confidences  had 
of  course  lain  in  the  fact  that  hitherto  he  had  omitted 
all  mention  of  the  leading  r61e  played  by  Molly 
during  the  latter  stages  of  the  proceedings.  Going 
back  now  to  the  point  at  which  she  had  first  told 
him  of  her  secret  marriage  to  Pedro,  he  described 
in  full  detail  how  the  main  idea  of  a  possible  rescue 
had  originated  with  her,  and  the  daring  and  skilful 
manner  in  which  she  had  thrown  herself  into  the 
scheme. 

He  gave  a  rapid  account  of  their  run  down  through 
the  night  to  Southampton,  and  of  how — thanks  to 
McEwen — they  had  managed  to  reach  Portriga  in  a 
time  for  which  the  nominal  horse-power  of  the  Betty's 
engines  failed  to  convey  any  adequate  explanation. 


426         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Then,  after  describing  the  respective  arrivals  on 
board  of  Jimmy  and  Colonel  Saltero,  he  went  on  to 
explain  how  they  had  all  come  to  a  unanimous 
decision  that  in  a  raid  on  the  Chateau  of  Saint  Anna 
lay  their  only  possible  chance  of  success.  With  an 
account  of  that  immortal  drive  and  of  their  experi- 
ences in  the  Chateau  he  at  length  brought  the  story 
down  to  the  moment  when  Molly  and  the  Count  had 
retired  upstairs  to  administer  spiritual  consolation  to 
the  Princess  Isabella. 

At  this  point  he  paused. 

"I  think  that's  about  my  share,"  he  observed 
unselfishly.  "You  go  on  now,  Isabel;  tell  Aunt 
Fanny  the  rest  of  it.  " 

Lady  Jocelyn,  who  had  been  listening  to  him  with 
an  expression  of  entranced  interest,  sat  upright  in  her 
seat,  still  holding  Isabel's  hand. 

"What  an  amazing  and  delightful  person  this 
Molly  Monk  must  be!"  she  exclaimed.  "And to 
think  that  she  is  the  granddaughter  of  old  Monk 
at  the  Lodge!  I  always  said  there  was  something 
extraordinarily  bracing  in  the  Helbeck  air.  " 

"I  think  she  must  be  the  bravest  and  cleverest 
girl  that  ever  lived, "  said  Isabel  with  shining  eyes. 
"You  know  I  hadn't  the  faintest  suspicion  that  she 
wasn't  a  real  clergyman  until  the  Count  had  gone 
out  of  the  room.  You  can't  imagine  what  I  felt 
like  w^hen  she  suddenly  bolted  the  door  and  began  to 
talk  to  me.  I  was  so  astonished  at  first  that  I  don't 
believe  I  could  have  done  anything  by  myself,  but 
she  was  as  cool  and  quiet  about  it  all  as  if  it  was  just 


Making  Sure  of  Isabel  427 

the  most  ordinary  thing  in  the  world.  All  the  time 
she  was  talking  she  was  making  me  change  clothes 
with  her,  and  by  the  time  we  had  got  into  each  other's 
things  I  didn't  feel  frightened  or  stupid  an}''  longer. 

"Then,  while  she  was  doing  up  my  hair  and 
putting  on  my  wig,  she  began  to  ask  me  questions — 
whether  I  spoke  to  the  Count  in  English  (which  I 
always  had  done) — how  I  behaved  as  a  rule  when  he 
came  into  the  room — and,  and  other  things  of  that 
sort.  I  tried  to  answer  as  well  as  I  could,  and  you 
can't  think  how  quick  and  clever  she  was  at  under- 
standing. She  made  me  walk  about  and  sit  down 
and  talk  to  her,  and  by  the  time  she  had  finished 
dressing  herself  and  had  done  her  hair  like  mine,  she 
was  able  to  imitate  me  so  exactly  that  I  could  hardly 
believe  it  was  real. 

"We  were  expecting  the  Count  back  every  minute 
then ;  so  she  unbolted  the  door  and  told  me  as  quickly 
as  possible  what  I  was  to  do  when  he  came.  She 
said  that  whatever  happened  I  was  not  to  answer  him 
if  he  spoke  to  me,  but  only  to  nod  or  shake  my  head, 
and  leave  everything  else  to  her. 

"Then  we  heard  him  on  the  stairs,  and  she  sat 
down  quite  quietly  in  the  chair  I  generally  used,  and 
made  me  stand  just  beside  her  with  my  back  to  the 
door." 

Isabel  paused,  as  if  the  memory  of  that  rather 
tense  experience  still  lingered  poignantly  in  her  mind. 

"I'd  have  given  a  thousand  pounds  to  be  there,  " 
observed  Tony  regretfully.  ' '  It  must  have  been  the 
best  moment  of  the  whole  show.  " 


428         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

"I  wouldn't  go  through  it  again  for  anything  in 
the  world,  "  declared  Isabel  with  a  reminiscent  shiver. 
"It  was  like  standing  on  the  edge  of  some  horrible 
precipice  waiting  to  be  pushed  over."  She  paused 
again.  "I  can't  tell  you  exactly  what  happened," 
she  went  on.  "I  suppose  I  was  too  excited  to  take  it 
in  properly.  I  know  that  he  spoke  to  me  first,  and 
that  Molly  interrupted  him  and  said  something  about 
feeling  a  great  deal  happier  and  not  minding  so 
much  now  that  she  was  going  to  be  married.  I 
remember  that  she  held  her  handkerchief  up  to  her 
eyes  as  if  she  had  been  crying,  and  that  the  Count 
seemed  very  pleased  and  satisfied  and  patted  her  on 
the  shoulder. 

"Then  almost  before  I  knew  what  was  happening 
we  were  walking  down  the  stairs  together.  I  heard 
him  talking,  but  I  don't  know  the  least  what  he  said, 
because  when  we  got  to  the  head  of  the  banisters  I 
suddenly  caught  sight  of  Tony  and  Mr.  Dale  stand- 
ing in  the  hall,  and  somehow  that  put  everything  else 
out  of  my  head.  It  w^as  all  I  could  do  to  stop  giving 
a  shout  and  rushing  down  to  them. " 

"Well,  you  didn't  show  ajiy  sign  of  it, "  said  Tony. 
"I  never  saw  a  more  dignified  descent  in  my  life.  " 

"I  am  sure  I  should  have  dropped  dead  from  sheer 
excitement,"  remarked  Lady  Jocelyn  sympathetic- 
ally. "It's  marvellous  what  sound  nerves  you've 
got,  Isabel;  considering  the  shocking  way  your  father 
used  to  drink." 

"It  all  happened  so  quickly,"  said  Isabel,  "I 
simply  didn't  have  time  to  do  anything  silly.     I 


Making  Sure  of  Isabel  429 

just  got  straight  into  the  car,  and  in  another  minute 
we  were  rushing  away  down  the  hill,  and  nothing  in 
the  whole  world  seemed  to  matter  then." 

"And  how  about  the  drive  back  and  the  battle  on 
the  beach? "  inquired  Lady  Jocelyn.  "Come  along, 
Tony,  I  insist  upon  knowing  everything.  " 

"Oh,  the  first  part  was  very  simple,"  said  Tony. 
"We  dropped  dear  old  Paqueta  at  the  point  where 
we  picked  him  up,  and  I  think  he  was  quite  sorry  to 
say  good-bye  to  us.  Then  we  jogged  along  com- 
fortably till  we  came  to  Portriga.  Of  course  we  were 
on  the  lookout  for  trouble  there,  because  of  the  row 
we  had  had  with  the  policeman  in  the  morning. 
Nothing  happened,  however,  until  we  were  just 
reaching  the  beach,  and  then  two  savage  looking 
gentlemen  jumped  out  at  us  in  the  most  unfriendly 
way.  We  should  have  been  quite  all  right,  only  as 
luck  would  have  it  there  was  a  big  cart  drawn  right 
across  the  track  that  ran  down  to  the  jetty.  We 
couldn't  pass  it,  so  we  had  to  pull  up  and  get  out. 
After  that — "  he  broke  off  with  a  smile,  "well,  you 
had  better  ask  Guy  to  tell  you  the  rest, "  he  finished. 
"He's  so  saturated  with  blood  and  slaughter  that 
he  will  be  able  to  do  justice  to  it. " 

"Go  on,  Guy,"  said  Lady  Jocelyn.  "Don't 
mind  my  feelings. " 

"He  is  talking  the  most  absolute  nonsense," 
exclaimed  Guy  indignantly.  "Bugg  and  I  were 
waiting  on  the  quay — we  had  come  ashore  with  the 
Captain  to  fetch  him — and  of  course  when  we  saw 
them  being  attacked  we  naturally  came  to  their  help. 


430        The  I^dy  from  Long  Acre 

Tony  had  already  knocked  down  about  three  people, 
so  there  was  practically  nothing  left  for  us  to  do.  I 
am  afraid  I  did  shoot  one  of  the  policemen  with  a 
revolver  that  I  happened  to  have  with  me,  but  I  am 
thankful  to  say  that  he  was  only  wounded  in  the 
shoulder. " 

"He's  ashamed  of  himself, "  said  Tony  mercilessly; 
"that's  what's  the  matter.  Why  he  came  up  the 
beach  like  a  roaring  tiger,  and  if  it  hadn't " 

There  was  a  knock  at  the  door,  and  almost  simul- 
taneously Ellen  presented  herself  on  the  threshold. 

"If  you  please,  M'lady,  Mr.  Henry  Conway  has 
called." 

'  *  Henry ! ' '  repeated  Tony ;  ' '  what  a  joke.  It  just 
needed  Henry  to  make  the  party  perfect.  " 

Lady  Jocelyn  looked  round  her  with  an  excla- 
mation of  dismay. 

' '  Oh  dear ! ' '  she  exclaimed.  ' '  I  quite  forgot  to  tell 
you  I  was  expecting  him.  He  rang  up  early  this 
morning  and  left  a  message  that  he  was  coming 
round.  I  think  he  wants  to  know  where  you  are, 
Tony." 

"I  am  not  quite  sure  myself  yet,"  said  Tony; 
' '  but  I  shall  be  delighted  to  give  him  all  the  informa- 
tion I  have. ' '  He  got  up  from  the  sofa.  ' '  Besides, ' ' 
he  added,  "it  will  be  a  good  opportunity  to  intro- 
duce him  to  Isabel. " 

"Are  you  serious?"  demanded  Guy.  "Do  you 
really  mean  you  want  to  see  him  ? ' ' 

"Certainly  I  do, "  replied  Tony.  "I  think  people 
ought  to  meet  their  new  relations  as  soon  as  possible." 


Making  Sure  of  Isabel  431 

"Very  well, "  said  Lady  Jocelyn.  "Show  him  up, 
Ellen."  Then  she  turned  to  Tony.  "Are  you 
going  to  tell  him  everything?" 

"Of  course  not,"  said  Tony.  "We  must  keep 
Isabel's  past  an  absolute  secret  between  ourselves. 
I  have  given  my  word  to  Da  Freitas  about  that.  " 

"But  you  know  what  Henry  is,"  objected  Guy. 
"He  is  sure  to  ask  all  sorts  of  questions  right  away. " 

"Well,  if  he  does,  "  said  Tony  "we  must  give  him 
an  evasive  answer — like  the  sailor.  " 

Before  Guy  had  recovered  from  this  reply,  foot- 
steps were  heard  ascending  the  stairs,  and  the  next 
moment  Henry  was  ushered  into  the  room. 

As  he  caught  sight  of  its  occupants  he  paused 
dramatically  on  the  threshold;  his  naturally  stolid 
face  expanding  into  an  expression  of  the  utmost 
surprise. 

"You  here!"  he  exclaimed,  addressing  himself  to 
Tony.  "Why  I  have  been  hunting  London  for  you 
the  last  twenty-four  hours.  " 

"I  hope  you  had  good  sport, "  said  Tony. 

"I  wish  you  wouldn't  disappear  like  that  and  not 
leave  any  address  behind,"  proceeded  Henry  in  an 
aggrieved  voice,  "I  had  some  very  important 
business  I  wished  to  see  you  about. " 

' '  I  am  so  sorry, ' '  replied  Tony ; ' '  but  as  a  matter  of 
fact  I  had  some  very  important  business  too."  He 
took  Isabel's  hand,  and  assisted  her  up  from  the  sofa. 
'  *  I  have  been  getting  engaged  to  be  married. ' ' 

For  a  moment  Henry  stared  at  him  in  dumb 
amazement. 


432         The  I^dy  from  Long  Acre 

"Is — is  this  a  fact?"  he  stammered. 

"I  should  think  it  was,"  replied  Tony  cheerfully. 
"Let  me  introduce  you  to  Isabel.  This  is  Cousin 
Henry,  Isabd.  I'm  sure  you'll  get  along  together 
splendidly. " 

By  a  tremendous  effort  Henry  managed  to  pull 
himself  together. 

"You  must  forgive  me,"  he  said  with  a  quite 
creditable  bow  to  Isabel.  "Tony  took  me  so  com- 
pletely by  surprise  I  scarcely  knew  what  I  was 
saying."  He  turned  to  Lady  Jocelyn  and  Guy. 
"Why  have  I  heard  nothing  about  this?"  he  de- 
manded. 

"We  only  heard  about  it  ourselves  ten  minutes 
ago,"  replied  Lady  Jocelyn  soothingly.  "Tony 
always  does  things  in  that  sort  of  way,  you  know.  " 

Henr>''s  eyes  travelled  back  to  Isabel,  and  rested 
on  her  with  admiration — not,  however,  untinged  by  a 
certain  trace  of  doubt. 

"You  must  forgive  me,"  he  said  again,  "but  at 
present  I  haven't  even  the  pleasure  of  knowing  your 
name." 

"Isabel,"  repeated  Tony,  "Isabel  Francis.  It's 
a  nice  name,  isn't  it  ? " 

To  this  inquiry  Henr}-  returned  no  answer. 

"Are  you  any  relation  of  Sir  George  Francis  of 
Laurence  Weston?"  he  asked. 

Isabel  shook  her  head.  "I  don't  think  so,"  she 
replied  simply. 

"As  a  matter  of  fact,  "  said  Tony,  "Isabel  has  no 
relations  at  all.     That's  one  of  her  chief  charms.  " 


Making  Sure  of  Isabel  433 

"No  relations  at  all!"  exclaimed  Henry  in  an 
aghast  and  incredulous  voice. 

"Not  one,  "  said  Tony  firmly.  "But  you  needn't 
worry  about  that,  Henry.  Our  engagement  has  the 
warm  approval  of  both  Aunt  Fanny  and  Guy. ' ' 

"That's  quite  right,  "  said  Lady  Jocelyn,  nodding 
her  head.  * '  I  think  Tony  is  a  great  deal  luckier  than 
he  deserves. " 

Henry  turned  to  Guy.  "And  you  too?"  he 
demanded. 

Guy  rose  manfully  to  the  occasion. 

" If  I  was  in  Tony's  place, "  he  declared,  "I  should 
be  the  proudest  and  happiest  man  in  the  world.  " 

With  the  air  of  one  who  has  been  unexpectedly 
torpedoed  Henry  abandoned  the  unequal  contest. 

"In  that  case,"  he  observed  in  a  slightly  dazed 
tone,  "I  can  only  offer  you  both  my  sincere  con- 
gratulations. " 

"I  knew  you  would  be  pleased,"  said  Tony. 
"You  always  wanted  me  to  get  married,  didn't  you? " 

"I  hope,"  continued  Henry,  addressing  himself 
to  Isabel, '  *  that  before  long  we  may  have  the  pleasure 
of  becoming  better  acquainted.  Unfortunately  I 
can't  stay  now,  because  I  have  an  important  political 
appointment  at  half-past  twelve.  " 

' '  What  a  pity, ' '  remarked  Lady  Jocelyn.  ' '  I  was 
just  going  to  suggest  that  you  should  stay  and  lunch 
with  us." 

"It's  very  kind  of  you,"  said  Henry;  "but  I'm 
afraid  my  presence  at  the  House  is  indispensable." 
He  turned  back  to  Tony.  "You  must  bring  Miss 
28 


434        The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

Francis  round  to  see  us  as  soon  as  possible, ' '  he 
added,  "this  afternoon  if  you  can.  I  know  that 
Laura  will  be  intensely  anxious  to  meet  her.  " 

"I  am  sure  of  that,"  said  Tony.  "We  are  a  bit 
full  up,  but  we'll  come  along  if  we  can.  Anyhow, 
you  will  be  able  to  let  Laura  know  what  a  charming 
girl  Isabel  is. " 

He  smiled  cheerfully  at  his  cousin,  and  the  latter, 
whose  faculties  still  seemed  to  be  suffering  a  little 
from  the  shock  that  they  had  received,  shook  hands 
all  round  and  withdrew  from  the  room. 

' '  I  think  he  took  it  splendidly, ' '  said  Tony,  as  soon 
as  the  door  was  closed.  "There's  lots  of  grit  in  the 
Conway  family  when  it  comes  to  the  point.  " 

' '  Are  you  really  going  round  there  this  afternoon  ? ' ' 
inquired  Guy. 

Tony  shook  his  head.  "I  am  afraid  we  sha'n't 
have  time, ' '  he  said.  ' '  I  have  to  go  and  get  a  special 
license  and  I  believe  it's  a  most  exhausting  business.  " 

"A  special  license!"  exclaimed  Lady  Jocelyn. 
"Do  you  mean  you  are  going  to  be  married 
at  once?" 

"Of  course  we  are,"  said  Tony.  "I  am  not  going 
to  run  any  more  risk  of  losing  Isabel.  Once  we  are 
married  she  will  be  quite  safe  whatever  happens. 
They  can't  have  her  back  then  without  making  me 
King  of  Livadia,  and  I  think  that  even  Congosta 
would  draw  the  line  at  that. " 

"It's  the  best  plan.  Aunt  Fanny,"  put  in  Guy 
quietly.  "We  talked  it  all  over  on  the  boat  coming 
back.     This  man  Congosta  is  still  in  London,  and  if 


Making  Sure  of  Isabel  435 

he  was  to  come  across  Tony  and  Isabel  it  might  lead 
to  all  sorts  of  trouble.  The  safest  thing  is  for  them 
to  get  married  and  go  away  at  once  on  the  Betty. 
Congosta  will  probably  return  to  Livadia  before  long, 
but  meanwhile  it's  absolutely  essential  that  they 
should  both  keep  out  of  the  way. " 

' '  I  suppose  it  is, "  admitted  Lady  Jocelyn.  ' '  From 
what  you  have  told  me  I  should  imagine  he  would  be 
a  very  unpleasant  person  to  have  hanging  about  while 
one  was  trying  to  enjoy  a  honeymoon.  "  She  got  up 
from  the  sofa.  "You  haven't  half  finished  the  story 
yet,"  she  added.  "I  want  to  know  all  sorts  of  things 
— how  you  propose  to  account  for  Molly's  sudden 
disappearance  from  the  Gaiety,  and  what's  happened 
to  that  nice  friend  of  yours  who  provided  you  with 
the  car.  He  seems  to  be  a  remarkably  amiable  and 
obliging  young  man,  but  I  am  afraid  he  must  have 
rather  damaged  his  prospects  of  making  a  com- 
fortable living  in  Livadia. " 

"Jimmy's  all  right,  "  said  Tony.  "He  came  back 
with  us,  and  we  are  going  to  start  a  shop  together 
in  Piccadilly.  As  for  Molly — well,  I  don't  think  we 
shall  have  any  real  trouble  there.  She  has  no  rela- 
tions who  are  likely  to  make  a  fuss,  and  we  have  fixed 
up  a  good  sound  lie  for  the  theatre  that  ought  to 
keep  them  quiet. " 

"You  shall  tell  me  about  it  when  I  come  back," 
said  Lady  Jocelyn.  "I  must  go  downstairs  first 
and  talk  to  the  cook,  or  else  we  sha'n't  have  enough 
to  eat  for  lunch.    You  are  all  going  to  stay  of  course. " 

"I'm  afraid  I  can't,"  replied  Guy,  shaking  his 


43^         The  Lady  from  Long  Acre 

head.  "I  must  get  back  to  Hampstead  as  soon  as 
possible.  There  are  a  lot  of  things  to  see  to  before 
Tony  goes  away. " 

"If  you  are  thinking  of  giving  us  a  wedding  pre- 
sent, "  said  Tony,  "we  should  like  the  revolver  with 
which  you  murdered  the  policeman.  " 

"Come  along,  Guy,"  said  Lady  Jocelyn,  taking 
his  arm.  "They  are  an  ungrateful  pair  of  children, 
and  we  will  leave  them  to  their  fate." 

"I  wish  I  was  really  rich,  "  said  Tony,  as  the  door 
closed.  "I  should  like  to  buy  Long  Acre  and  put  a 
high  wall  round  it,  and  never  let  any  one  go  into  it 
except  ourselves.  "  He  took  Isabel's  hands  and  drew 
her  gently  towards  him.  '  *  I  can't  think  of  anything 
else, ' '  he  added, ' '  that  isn 't  absolutely  and  splendidly 
perfect. " 

"Only  about  Molly, "  answered  Isabel,  looking  up 
at  him  with  rather  troubled  eyes.  "Oh,  Tony,  you 
do  think  she's  safe  and  happy,  don't  you?" 

"I  am  sure  of  it,  "  said  Tony  confidently.  "They 
can  never  go  back  on  what  they  have  done,  and  in 
about  two  months  Molly  will  have  the  whole  place 
under  her  thumb.  If  any  one's  going  to  be  unhappy 
it  will  be  Da  Freitas  and  the  Count  de  Se.  " 

"Oh,  I  do  hope  so, "  said  Isabel  feelingly.  Then 
she  paused,  and  took  a  long  breath.  ' '  She  ■unll  make 
a  wonderful  queen,  Tony.  She  will  be  as  good  at  it 
as  I  should  have  been  bad. " 

"You  were  meant  for  something  much  nicer  than 
that, "  said  Tony. 


Making  Sure  of  Isabel  437 

He  drew  her  down  into  his  arms,  and  bending 
forward  pressed  a  long  and  passionate  kiss  upon  her 
soft  and  sHghtly  parted  lips. 

' '  I  love  kissing  you,  Isabel, ' '  he  remarked.  ' '  You 
always  taste  of  crushed  violets.  " 

"Do  I?"  said  Isabel  dreamily.  "I'm  so  glad, 
Tony." 

"So  am  I,  "  said  Tony;  and  with  some  deliberation 
he  kissed  her  again. 


THE  END 


A 

Rogue  by  Compulsion 

An  Affair  of  the  Secret  Service 

By 
Victor  Bridges 

A  story  all  action,  though  told  in  a  manner  that  wins 
the  reader  through  its  confident  ease  and  lack  of  artificiality. 
From  the  moment  when  Mr.  Lyndon,  the  wrongly  im- 
prisoned hero,  leaps  over  the  wall  and  falls  to  safety, 
narrowly  escaping  the  pursuing  shot,  to  the  time  when,  the 
joint  captor  of  a  band  of  spies,  with  whom  he  has,  in 
ignorance  of  their  real  motives,  worked  in  enforced  as- 
sociation, he  receives  the  thanks  of  the  nation,  there  is 
not  a  dull  page.  A  secret  workshop  on  the  marshes,  the 
explosion  of  an  island  through  an  agency  of  destruction  of 
which  the  hero  is  the  inventor,  a  deliberate  drowning,  more 
than  one  attempt  at  assassination  are  but  a  few  of  the 
milestones  of  adventure  that  the  reader  passes  in  his 
swift  pursuit  of  the  tortuous  trail  of  the  story. 

1S°.     With  Frontispiece  in  Color.     Net  $1.50 
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New  York  London 


That  Which  Hath  Wings 

By 
Richard  Dehan 

Author  ot  "  One  Braver  Thing,"  "  Between  Two  Thieves," 
"The  Man  of  Iron,"  etc. 


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The  author's  splendid  story-teUing  gift 
triumphs  again  in  the  creation  of  strong 
characters  and  dramatic  situations  and  the 
picturization  of  Europe  hovering  on  the  brink 
of  Armageddon — hectic,  pleasure-seeking 
coimtries,  living  in  false  security,  and  form- 
ing a  contrasting  prelude  to  the  greatest  of 
world  tragedies.  A  novel  vibrating  with 
action,  in  which  there  is  love,  but  beset  with 
obstacles,  and  villainy  which  meets  its  match. 
Several  of  the  characters  famiUar  to  readers 
of  One  Braver  Thing  ("The  Dop  Doctor") 
again  make  their  appearance  under  circimi- 
stances  that  intensify  their  interest.  A 
colorful  story  of  love  and  war,  of  wrath  and 
humor,  masterfully  told. 

G.  P,  Putnam's  Sons 

New  York  London 


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